


Competitive Writing for Amateurs

by oneofthemuses



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-14
Updated: 2013-11-05
Packaged: 2017-12-11 21:08:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 39
Words: 31,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/803284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneofthemuses/pseuds/oneofthemuses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Over at the Milady/Milord LJ community, we're having an ongoing bi-weekly fic battle.  Prompt is identified at the start of each chapter.  Ficlets range from 300 - 1500 words.  Concise versions available at M/M.  I'll be updating with approximately 8 chapters or so every couple of weeks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Advanced Directorial Decision Making

**Author's Note:**

> If you're interested in reading more or participating, please do go check out Milady_Milord- [the bi-weekly fic battle](http://milady-milord.livejournal.com/tag/challenge%3A%20comment%20fic%20battle) is always the first post and there have been any number of wonderful entries!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: there's a knot in my chest and only you can untie me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG-13, for swearing.  
> Word Count: 543  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters.

He's not really the type to hyperventilate or panic.  When Ted told him he was being fired?  Cool as a cucumber.  When he met his dad after years of abandonment?  A controlled burst of fury.  So, no, Jeff's not the type to freak the fuck out.  At least, not so anyone can see it.  But here he is.  Freaking the fuck out. 

 

He rubs absent-mindedly at his chest feeling like his lungs are twisting and knotting and that’s why he’s struggling to breath, and continues pacing up and down.

 

\---

 

“You have to Annie.”  She shoots him an exasperated glance and shakes her head.

 

“No, Abed, I don’t.  We’ve talked about this before, remember?  We aren’t a cast of characters, you can’t direct our lives.”  He regards her calmly.

 

“I know that.  And I wouldn’t tell you to do this for no reason.”  He cocks his head, thoughtful, before he continues.  “It worked out for me, Annie.”  He clutches Rachel’s hand and swings it up high for Annie to see, as if his point is proven.  “Rom-com tropes.  The movie clichés.  And it worked.”  She remains unmoved by his words even as they watch Jeff pause and bend at the waist as if he’s about to start heaving.  “Besides, someone has to do it.”  Annie balls her hands into fists and plants them on her hips, irritation mounting.

 

“That’s not fair, Abed.  What about Britta?  Or Shirley?”  Abed furrows his brow as if to say ‘you really think they’re options?’ but she merely shrugs her shoulders in response.

 

“Britta and Troy just broke up.  That would be insensitive.  Shirley is convinced that Jeff is intimidated by her sexuality.”  He cocks his head, eyebrows rising just for a second and sotto voice, adds, “I’m inclined to agree with her.”  He exchanges a look with Rachel, who nods in response, then turns back to Annie.  “I have to say, Annie, I’m disappointed in you. You didn’t even consider Troy or myself as options.  What’s that about?”

 

Her indignant gasp is expected.

 

“Abed!  I just…  It’s not like…  It’s nothing, okay?  I just know that Jeff…  I mean, I’m _pretty_ sure Jeff is into women, but… “  She glares at him, aware she’s being manipulated.  She glances at Rachel and receives an apologetic smile followed by an eyebrow waggle and a shooing motion.  She sighs.  “Fine, but I want it on the record that this isn’t fair.”  Abed nods and shoots her the finger guns in agreement. 

 

\---

 

“Why is he freaking out again?”

 

“Graduation.”  Rachel nods sagely; it makes total sense.  She leans in again.

 

“What romantic trope is this?”

 

“Could be a few but that’s really beside the point.  Once upon a time, I wasn’t sure Annie and Jeff being together was a good thing.”  He watches as Annie stomps angrily toward Jeff.  “I should have trusted my instincts, I’m the one that originated the idea of them after all.”  Seconds later, Annie takes Jeff’s face in her hands and kisses him.  “This puts a nice cap on their story.”  They watch for a few more seconds but Jeff’s hands are wandering and Abed knows his work is done.  His timing, as usual, is impeccable; hands still linked, he and Rachel walk off into the sunset.


	2. Tactical Training for Paintball Veterans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "I can't lose you, Annie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG.  
> Word Count: 426  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters.

“I can’t lose you, Annie!” She turned to glare at him over her shoulder from her position crouched low behind a library shelf.

“Jeff, this is our only hope. I’m the only sharpshooter we have now that Abed’s been taken. And I’m sitting here useless because they’re closing in on us. If you can get me to the cafeteria, I can try to infiltrate, put the rescue mission into play… We’ll have a fighting chance, Jeff. We have to take it.” Her words were ground out, harsh but sincere, and Jeff closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, he nodded once.

“Let’s do this.”

\----

They moved silently through the halls bringing death and carnage to anyone who stood in their way.

\----

They made it to the doors of the cafeteria and Annie shot an exhilarated smile at him. Her eyes softened for a second as she watched him survey the area for approaching enemies. Still smiling, she shook her head, squeezed his arm and prepared to execute the next step of their plan: her solo mission, potentially her suicide mission. As she turned to move away, Jeff grabbed her arm pulling her toward him.

“Annie… You don’t have to do this.” She regarded him calmly, attempting to keep her rising temper in check.

“We’ve been over this, Jeff. I have to.” He sighed.

“What if you don’t make it back?” It was Annie’s turn to close her eyes for a brief second in time.

“I will, Jeff, and I’ll bring Abed with me.” He shook his head angrily.

“But what if you don’t, Annie? What then?”

“Then you keep fighting. And you avenge me.” She moved her hands up to cup his face. “You avenge me and all of our fallen.” She pulled him down into a rough kiss, one that reeked of desperation and finality. Letting her hands fall away from his face, she ran them down his chest and smoothed his shirt where she had ruffled the material. With one last caress, she moved away, swift and silent, into the deserted room ahead.

\----

As he fell back to the designated rendezvous point, his mind was running the strategies, discarding the useless and earmarking the ones to pursue. A small, secret part of him stayed with Annie, wondering what was going on, hoping she’d make it through. Jeff turned the corner and sped up as their safety zone came into view. Less than a minute later, he slid through the door alert and ready. Finding it empty, he secured the premise. And waited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N #: Despite the title, I don't know when this takes place or why - I had a vague notion that it was some kind of future fic or an AU like The Terminator (or the Sarah Connor Chronicles? I don't know, I never actually watched that) but it could very well be paintball or zombies or something else.


	3. Introduction to Basic Sportsmanship for Co-Ed Teams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "I don't think the NFL had the slightest intention of taking me, except as maybe a water boy." (Joel McHale)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG-13, for some mentions of arousal.  
> Word Count: 1043  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters.

He let out a startled ‘oof’ as he fell to the ground.  He’d seen the charge coming but he’d been hoping fervently that his height would give him an advantage.  Clearly his trim waist was, for the first time he could recall, a disadvantage.    Troy scrambled off of him quickly, eyeing Jeff as he lay there winded.

 

“Uh, Jeff, dude?  Are you dying?”  Jeff didn’t dignify Troy’s question with a response.  A minute later, Jeff reconsidered how absurd Troy’s question actually was.  With his breath returning, he realized just how much the hit had hurt.  Giving a pained ‘guhurghguh’ he dropped his head back to the ground and closed his eyes. 

 

“Oh god, I killed him!”  It was a whisper initially but Jeff could sense the rising panic even though he couldn’t bring himself to care.  “I know I’ve thought about it before but I never actually meant to do it!  Abed!  Abed!  I did it, I killed Jeff!”  Arms in the air, Troy took off running to the sidelines as the rest of the players began clearing the field.

 

“Troy!  What are you doing?  If you think you killed someone, you don’t run away!”  He could hear Annie’s shouted words and she confirmed her presence moments later as he watched her drop to her knees beside him.  His eyes slid shut in misery that was only half-faked as he made a bid for her sympathy.  “Jeff!”  Her hands hovered near his face for precious seconds before she seemed to come to a decision and lowered them to check him over, starting with feather-light touches at his hairline.  “Are you okay?”

 

He slowly opened his eyes once more and managed, he hoped, a brave smile for her.

 

“I’m good.”  It came out as more of a croak.  He cleared his throat and then attempted to cover it with what he assumed was a manly-sounding grunt.  “Great, even.  What about you?”  She shook her head, a fondly exasperated smile emerging.

 

“That’s too bad.  I mean, not that I wanted you to be hurt!”  Her eyes were wide as she backpedaled.  “I mean, I was just kind of hoping I’d have a chance to help make you feel better.”  Her eyes were fixed on their bench as she murmured the words but Jeff would swear to it that he could feel her checking for his reaction from the corner of her eye.  Even knowing that, he couldn’t stop the faux-disinterest that meant he really _was_ interested from creeping into his expression.  “Back when I lived over Dildopolis and wanted to go into healthcare, I even bought a nurse’s outfit.”  His faux disinterest dropped away entirely as he swallowed roughly.

 

“Uh.”  The high-pitched cracking voice that emerged was not Jeff Winger’s voice.  He tried again.  “It’s possible that I’ve lost feeling in my lower half, I may not even be able to walk.  You should probably help me.”  Her gaze dropped to his legs.

 

“I’m sure your legs work, Jeff.  I can see things are…  Just fine down there.”  He followed her eyes and realized his body had already started reacting to the proximity of a flirty Annie.  Damn.  A pleased grin spread across his face anyway.  She stretched her hand out and he pulled himself up.  They had just begun the seemingly long hobble back toward their bench when Annie cleared her throat and Jeff realized she was working up to something.  But it wasn’t until they finally approached Shirley that Annie actually spoke.  “So, I think I should be put in.”

 

“What?!?”  Jeff’s exclamation was largely ignored.

 

“Annie, honey, are you sure?  You’re so tiny.  Look how hard Jeff went down!”

 

“Shirley…  I can do it.  That first year at Greendale, I started getting into football because of Troy _and_ I’m taking karate _and_ I know I’m small…  But,”  Her eyes slid conspicuously away from Jeff.  “I’m young.  I can do it.”  Jeff glared even as he conceded that Annie was right.

 

“Shirley, let’s put her in.”  Annie looked up at him in surprise.  “Look, I was on my high school football team.  I’m no expert but sometimes, the smallest guys are the scrappiest.  Besides, Annie is tough.  And,” He decided to point out the obvious, “We’re down a player.”  Shirley looked thoughtful for a minute before nodding.

 

“Okay, Annie.  You get in there and show them how a woman gets the job done!”  Annie cheered excitedly then gingerly folded Jeff into a hug.

 

“Thanks, guys!  I won’t let you down!”  She scrambled away, only to find Jeff following.  She made it to where her helmet was resting, pausing to look at Jeff consideringly first.

 

“Were you really on the football team in high school?” Annie lowered her voice to ask as if it was a state secret and nudged Jeff.  He nodded.

 

“I’m a big guy, Annie.  And I wasn’t half-bad.  You know they had scouts at some of my games?”  Annie gasped in surprise.

 

“Really?”  He nodded.  “You mean the NFL was interested in you?”  He shook his head.

 

“Nah.  I don’t think the NFL had the slightest intention of taking me, except as maybe a water boy.  Colleges were recruiting.  I turned them down.  Seems like an idiotic decision in retrospect.”  Annie stared at him, eyes wide, biting her lip.

 

“I don’t know, I’m kind of glad you did.”  She leaned up and, lightning-quick, planted a kiss on his unsuspecting cheek before bounding out onto the field.

 

It took a few minutes in the wake of Annie’s affection, and he stood frozen in place as he processed, but Jeff finally moved back to where he’d been sitting before.  He sighed as he heaved himself on to the bench beside Shirley.

 

“I’m surprised you wanted her to go in.”  Shirley said it as a statement but Jeff knew there was a demand for an explanation in there.

 

“Well, I figure it’ll get Britta up in arms and demanding to go in.  Which might give us an greater advantage.”  He turned and met Shirley’s eyes, a devious smirk already in place.  She giggled gleefully right back and clapped her hands delightedly.  Putting aside their mutual anticipation of the spectacle they both knew was coming, Jeff and Shirley sat back to watch the game.


	4. Introduction to Alternate Realities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Abed invents a device that allows users to peer into alternate realities, and the group decides to view their alternate selves. After a few minutes of fascinated viewing, the group realizes that Jeff and Annie are a romantic item in every single timeline that they've seen, even in ones where the group hasn't come together."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG-13.  
> Word Count: 673  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters.

“It works just like a regular TV except the channels we see are alternate realities, not fictional shows.”  He took in the incredulous stares silently.  “I expected this.  Here, let me show you.”  He settled into his chair and turned the television on, light and noise filling the apartment.

 

_“You’re far too robotic up there.”_

_“What-“  Anxious eyes focused intently on him.  “What do you mean?”_

_“Just what I said.  You have to loosen up.  I didn’t know the ‘rules’ or whatever but c’mon, 8 points?  You can do better than that, Annie!”  Her brow furrowed unsure if she was being insulted or complimented._

_“How do I ‘loosen’ up?  Just…  Take my hair down?”  She laughed nervously but reached up to undo the clip.  She shook her hair out, their eyes still locked on each other._

_“There are other ways to relax too.”  Jeff’s voice softened as his face drifted slowly toward hers._

*click*

 

_“I’m…  Sorry.  About before.  With the Glee Club.”  She looked down, embarrassed._

_“You don’t have to be sorry.  I mean, it was horribly, horribly wrong but…  It worked.”  She peered up at him and allowed a small smile._

_“I guess it did.  I still feel like I should make it up to you somehow.”_

_“You probably should.”  His mock-solemnity drew another smile.  “That was a traumatic experience for both of us.”  She nodded.  “It would probably help to, uh, reframe the memories associated with that…  Outfit.”  Her nod was slower this time._

“Change the channel, Abed.”  He heard the foreboding in Jeff’s voice and Abed decided he’d go back to that station later.

 

“What exactly happened during Glee Club, Jeff?”  Britta’s suspicions were clearly aroused.

 

“Nothing!”  Annie’s eyes widened as everyone’s attention shifted to her.  “I mean, really, nothing happened.”  Nobody seemed to notice her two fingers crossed behind her back.  “Why don’t we just keep going?”  There were grudging nods all around.

 

“We must be stuck in a Jeff/Annie block of channels.  I’ll enter a random number.”

 

*click*

 

_She got out of her car and kicked her tire.  He raised an eyebrow from his position leaning against his Lexus, playing with his phone._

_“Excuse me, miss?”  He waited for her to look up before he pushed off his Lexus and moved toward her.  “Do you need some help?”  She bit her lip and he found it oddly endearing._

_“My car won’t start.”  She looked at him and kicked at her tire again.  “I have to get to class.”  He nodded in sympathy._

_“Where do you go?”  She looked at him appraisingly before giving a quick nod._

_“I’m a student at Greendale.  The community college by-“ He cut her off with a raise of his hand and his own nod._

_“Yeah, I know the place.  Unfortunately.  Tell you what, I was supposed to pick up a colleague from his NA meeting but they haven’t showed.  Greendale is on my way to work.  I can give you a ride, if you want, Miss..?”_

_“Annie Edison, and you are?”_

_“Jeff Winger.”_

“I’m confused.  Why is it still about Jeff and Annie?”  Abed considered the question seriously.

 

“Jeff’s our leading man.  The main character.  It makes sense that the first few minutes whenever we tune in tells us what he’s up to.”  Shirley nodded, mouth pursed unhappily, as if Abed’s words made total sense.

 

“And why is Annie always with Jeff, hmm?”  Shirley’s voice was even.  Abed glanced at Jeff, then Annie, before he focused on Shirley once more. 

 

“I can’t answer that, Shirley.  There could be any number of reasons.  My guess?  Annie and Jeff are intertwined in most realities.  I couldn’t tell you _why_ but it’s a reasonable hypothesis given their relationship and chemistry in this timeline.”

 

“Abed.  That’s enough.”  Abed’s eyes widened briefly; Jeff was verging on stern.

 

\----

 

Somehow, Abed was unsurprised to find Jeff and Annie asleep together in Troy’s recliner, the blue glow of the TV screen showing another world’s Jeff and Annie similarly asleep, two young children cuddled between them, and a bassinet within arms reach.


	5. Introduction to Daydream Analysis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "My prompt is Voltaire's quote: 'Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination.'"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG.  
> Word Count: 1073  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters.

He's twenty feet off when he first spots her. He keeps his eyes on his phone to maintain plausible deniability but really, he watches her as he gets closer. He's about ten feet away when _she_ spots him and smiles widely, face eager and welcoming. He smiles back, not even aware of it, and hastens his steps.

It's maybe ten seconds before he reaches her but his mind has already saved that smile and filed it away. Because in that smile? He sees a future where Annie works late one night at the Denver crime lab and comes home to find him asleep on the couch, their son resting peacefully on his chest. In that smile, he sees a future where Annie wakes him and smiles, despite being tired, and he thanks _something_ for helping him find a law firm that was flexible enough to let him work from home some days. In that smile, he sees a future that has enough happiness and love to outweigh the fear and pain.

\---

She sees him coming when he's twenty or so feet away. She schools her reaction because, you know, _god forbid_ she looks too delighted and comes off as immature and in love. She can't help but scoff indignantly to herself, still insulted and stung despite the passing of time. He's staring at his phone like it's his life so she figures she's safe anyway but just in case, she only lets the smile bloom across her face when he's ten feet from her. 

She decides it was the right move when he smiles back and she savours the genuine grin he's displaying, just for her. She holds it close to her heart, tucked away. She can't help it, really. In that grin, she sees a future where Jeff is a lawyer again and yet, he still breaks more than a light sweat for her. In that grin, she sees a future where they're moving into a house because a condo just isn't big enough for his law books and her forensics materials and the baby. In that grin, she the future where they waited a long time, and they struggled, but they made a conscious choice to be together and to be happy.

\---

He doesn't think about it when she slides into the booth beside him but he'd be lying if he said his shoulders didn't suddenly relax even as his gut tensed in anticipation. He continues his conversation with Shirley without missing a beat but he's hyper-aware of her presence to his right anyway. He can only hope it's not particularly noticeable when he shifts slowly infinitesimally closer to her when Pierce pushes in on his left. Pierce jostles him and he abandons the subtle approach. 

Annie doesn't offer any extra space, engrossed in her own conversation, until his arm and torso are pressed against her and his hand is at her waist, gently nudging her over. She glances at him, takes in the situation, and they share a mutually understanding look of exasperation as she slides over. They're sitting in much tighter quarters than they were moments ago but he goes back to his discussion of Mad Men without complaint. 

He doesn't mind, after all, and he makes a mental note somewhere in the back of his mind of the sensation and feeling. He'll likely never admit it but the warm weight pressed against his right side will lend new accuracy to the daydreams of Annie lying next to him in bed, asleep and wrapped around him, the scent he's learned is unique to her enveloping him. New details about her sitting beside him on purpose, rather than by accident, because it's expected when you're dating someone are suddenly filled in; the gentle movement of her ribcage as she breathes, the whisper of skin and hair against him as she gestures and shifts;. His arm stretched out across the back of the booth is something he's especially aware of as she leans back, her lunch tray pushed away. The idea of his arm around her casually, conspicuously, is there, germinating in his sub-consciousness, and the smile that crosses his face has never felt more natural even if he doesn't know why.

\---

She slides into the booth beside him because there's really nowhere else to sit. Shirley, Troy and Abed are already on one side of the booth and Britta and Pierce are headed for the same seat - Britta is already looking for a chair to borrow because Pierce is like a cranky toddler when there's an open seat beside Jeff and he doesn't get it - so it's this or nothing. She leaves some room between them, not wanting to invade his personal space, and settles in already getting caught up in the discussion about the relative moral villainy of The Sergeant versus Thoraxis. She feels, rather than sees, Jeff shift toward her but she forces herself to ignore it because really, she left a fair bit of room between them and despite his best efforts, Jeff still struggles with how he feels about Pierce. 

When he touches her waist, she realizes that somewhere between her passionate defence of Thoraxis and listening to Abed's thoughts on The Sergeant's troubled life, Jeff has ended up pressed up against her. She's not sure how she missed that except to say that it felt natural and comfortable and _normal_. She shares an exasperated look with him because she knows it's Pierce's fault and moves over to give him some space. She can't really go far, though, and they're still pressed together. 

She can't bring herself to mind. She catalogues Jeff's every movement, the shift of muscle against her shoulder, the way he radiates heat, the subtle scent of expensive cologne even though her attention remains firmly on Abed and Troy. It's not as if she's doing it on purpose but the shading on those apparently-abandoned daydreams is suddenly vivid; cuddling on the couch as Jeff watches period dramas and live-tweets them and she does pre-reading for a course, luxuriating in expensive sheets that smell like Jeff even in his absence, wrapped in his arms as they dance. All of this percolates well below the surface where she''s shoved her "feelings" for Jeff and she'll swear her flushed cheeks and soft smile are a consequence of Abed conceding that Thoraxis is a morally and ethically complicated character because what else could it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I have to admit, I wasn't really happy with this entry, which was originally posted only up to the end of Annie's first section. But even the full thing was me trying a different style/genre which I just don't think fits. Still, feedback is welcome.


	6. Revisionist History 101

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Since it's been a bad season for our ship, my prompt is to take a moment from any episode this season and re-write it as Jeff/Annie, or add a J/A scene to any episode."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Season 4.  
> Rating: PG-13, for some very, very light swearing.  
> Word Count: 505  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters.

He wasn't 100% certain how he'd known where they would be but he figured now wasn't the time to look a gift horse in the mouth.  He paused for a moment, huffing, before he thrust the ball at her.

 

"Here.  I want you to have this.  As proof that I'm willing to do what it takes.  But only if you're with me."  She stared back, unmoved, ignoring his offering.  "C'mon, Annie, please.  I need your help here."  Her hand hovered halfway to his but she still didn’t reach out to take the ball.  "There's just one condition."  Her hand dropped to her side and she drew back, surprised outrage spreading across her face.

 

"What?  Now you're making demands of me?"  He sighed, moving in a step closer, all but forgetting that Shirley was standing quietly in the corner.

 

"I can't do it without you, Annie.  So I want you to take this ball as a promise that I'm New Jeff...  But if I'm going to go back out there and win seven balls, I need something to fight for."  Her smile quirked downward in confusion.

 

"Like..."  She stared at him, a delighted sort of wonder slowly creeping in.  "A token?"  His eyes widened.  That hadn't been exactly what he was driving at but he figured it would be a good alternative given Shirley's presence.

 

"A token of your favour."

 

"I don't really have anything to give you."  Her words were soft but there was a full smile in bloom.  He shrugged at her, equally enthused.  "I suppose I could...  Maybe give you my cardigan?"  Annie seemed unsure and waited for his response.  Jeff merely looked back, stretching out a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.

 

"Oh, just kiss him already.  You two and your damn googly eyes."  Shirley pushed past them both, throwing up her arms in irritation.  "I'll be at the Dean's car when you're done, Annie."  Jeff watched her expression carefully but didn't see anything change.  Instead, Annie bit her lip, drew back slightly, and pulled out her lipgloss.  He raised an eyebrow.

 

"When you carry a token into battle, it doesn't have to be visible, but..."  She smiled then stretched up on to her tiptoes, hands framing his face, and kissed him.  It seemed like an eternity had passed when she drew back.  "You can go fight for our rightful place in History now..."  He nodded, still dazed.  They separated and he turned to leave before thinking better of it.  He spun back, and drew her up against him until her feet barely touched the floor, and kissed her with all he had.

 

"If my future is uncertain, seems like the least I deserve is a proper kiss."  She slid down the length of him, feet slowly finding solid ground.  One hand clutched the red ball, the other lingered at her lips.  He took one last look at her before he inclined his head.  "Milady."  With that, he turned and left.

 

The soft 'Milord' floated down the hallway after him.


	7. Feminist Icons in Dance, A Case Study

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Since it's been a bad season for our ship, my prompt is to take a moment from any episode this season and re-write it as Jeff/Annie, or add a J/A scene to any episode."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Season 4.  
> Rating: G.  
> Word Count: 407  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters. I do not own Sophie B. Hawkins or any of her work, music, lyrics, or any representations thereof either.

Somehow, Britta hadn't Britta'd being Britta. He stood frozen in horror as Sophie B. Hawkins slowly began to croon "Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover." Shaking himself out of his reverie, he shuffled backwards, wanting to escape any attention. He heard a pained squeak a second later and he turned to see that he'd bumped into Annie.

"Shit, sorry, are you okay?" She brushed at her dress and nodded then turned to stare at him in confusion.

"What're you doing?" He sighed.

"I just... I can't believe Britta pulled this off. I mean, it's Britta." Annie rolled her eyes.

"Look, I know that Britta can be... _Britta_ but you've been kind of a jerk today, Jeff. Just... Go apologize or something and then enjoy the dance. Britta did a _really_ good job." He cocked his head thoughtfully and just watched her. A minute or so of comfortable silence, as they stared at each other, passed before Annie huffed. "Don't be a jerk anymore, Jeff, that's the old you, remember?" Her voice stayed low but he heard her despite the music. 

He smirked and stepped closer. He pulled out his phone, tapping out a text message and then took Annie's hand, twirling her. She went willingly and seconds later, as she faced him again, he was prepared for her question when it came. 

"What're you doing?"

"I sent her a text, I apologized... Now I'm enjoying the dance." She stared up at him, their hands still joined, surprised but pleased. "You were the one who told me to." He shrugged, pulling her closer. "You know, I had a dream that was really very similar to the themes of this song..." 

_For me there is no other_  
 _You're the only shoe that fits_  
 _I can't imagine I'll grow out of it_  
 _Damn I wish I was your lover._  


Britta glanced around, searching for Jeff. A grin stretched across her face as she took in the picture of Jeff "I'm Too Sexy" Winger dancing at _her_ Sophie B. Hawkins dance with a laughing Annie. Clearly, he was having fun which meant this dance was a success! She looked down at her phone again, re-reading his text message. She was just starting to type a reply when Troy grabbed her hand. She looked up at him and her smile softened into something else. She would crow about this later, she decided, right now, she was at a dance with her friends.


	8. Detectivising 101

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "'I found this when I was cleaning out my locker.' Take that where you will!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG.  
> Word Count: 608  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters.

"I found this when I was cleaning out my locker." Brad took the photo that Jenny was holding out to him and looked it over. His eyes widened and he gave a low whistle of appreciation. "Yeah, _I know._ " Jenny’s tone was only slightly smug.

"Those are some seriously good looking people doing some seriously hot kissing. Who are they?" Jenny shook her head then shrugged.

"No clue. Do you think it's, like, a promotional picture for Greendale? That guy looks familiar. I swear I've seen him on posters or something. And I know I've seen that woman."

"Looks like we have a mystery on our hands. And I know that look on your face. You've already decided that we're going to solve it." Jenny smiled. "Where do we start?" She barely heard Brad's sigh she was so used to his lacklustre sense of adventure.

"I've been thinking about it all day..." She tapped the photo in Brad's hand. "I'm pretty sure I saw her picture in the Greendale Gazette Journal Mirror offices." She ignored the look on Brad's face at the sound of the school newspaper's name and continued. "So like any good student, we're going to do some research!"

\----

An hour later, they were no closer to their answer. But that was also about the time that fortune smiled upon them.

"Dean Pelton!" The man spun on his heel to face them, a wide smile spread across his face.

"Students, hi! How can I help you?” He leaned in, bringing a hand up as if to shield his words from prying eyes, and whispered, “Please do bear in mind, that offer comes with some limitations because my skillset is actually pretty narrow." Both Jenny and Brad merely nodded, shrugging the confusion off.

"I found this picture... I wanted to know the story behind it." Jenny held out the photo, a corner bent and another edge curling up. The Dean's hand immediately flew to his mouth and his eyes went misty.

"Oh. _Oh._ " His tone was a little sad but he sniffed and squared his shoulders. "One of my greatest joys and one of my greatest heartbreaks..." Brad raised an eyebrow in surprise. "That's Jeff Winger and Annie Edison at our 2009 Championship Debate competition. It was... An award-winning kiss." Jenny's gasp was quiet but clearly audible. "It won them the competition."

"What happened to them?" The dean took his eyes off the photo and met Jenny's interested gaze.

"Hmm? Oh, well, Jeff and I are roommates now. Well, we live _next door_ to each other. It’s basically the same thing!” He leaned in closer and, with a confiding smile, offered, “We'd be roomies for sure if it wasn't for his girlfriend. She has roommates, you know, and Jeff's apartment is the only place she gets any privacy. But I know he enjoys my company." Brad fought to keep his face expressionless. "Anyway, if you want to know more, just... Search the Gazette Mirror Journal's database - they're two of our most famous students, Luis Guzman notwithstanding." He smiled again and turned to leave.

"Wait! Dean Pelton..." He stopped and looked over his shoulder at Jenny. "What happened to Annie?" The dean turned in full and shook his head as if he'd been silly in forgetting to mention her.

"Oh! My manners, where are they? She's the cute little hussy Jeff is dating!" He performed a strange cheering gesture, fists shaking in the air and a bright smile on his face that rang only slightly false, before he startled to sniffle. He spun around and left quickly, unaware and unconcerned about the questions left in his wake.


	9. Friendship for Beginners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Jeff & Annie have done something to annoy another member of the study group."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG  
> Word Count: 447  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters.

Britta eyed Pierce in concern, unsure what to do about the low growling noise he was making.  She watched him for a minute before taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders.  She could do this.  She was  _gonna_  do this.  
  
“Um, Pierce…  Why are you growling?”  
  
“Huh?  What?  Oh, blondie.  I’m irritated.”  She nodded uncertainly.  
  
“Okay.  Why?  Maybe I can help.”  He turned to look at her then, taking in her surprisingly genuine expression, and decided it couldn’t hurt to throw her a bone.  He snickered to himself before he remembered why he was upset.  
  
“Jeff.”  He spit the name out with all the venom he could muster.  He was slightly disappointed to realize it wasn’t much.  “He and Annie have been…”  He trailed off, trying to think of a way to put it that wouldn’t induce dry heaves.  “Spending time together.  Annie’s my favourite.”  He winced, realizing Britta might be offended, but she waved it off.  “But I hate Jeff Winger!”  That garnered a reaction.  
  
“Seriously, Pierce?  I thought you guys buried the hatchet or whatever after the whole axe incident!”  He sighed at her.  
  
“We did.  Sort of.  But he’s still an ass.  And I know him.  I was him!  He’s not good enough for Annie.”  He caught her eye and nodded his chin toward her.  “He’s not good enough for you either.  Not yet.”  Britta smiled and moved to stand beside him, staring out the window at the scene outside.  
  
“Pierce…  Jeff is an ass.  But he’s not so bad when he’s with Annie.  And we  _all_  had a hand in that.  I get that them…  Spending time together is irritating but they’re good for each other.  It’s weird.  Jeff studies and Annie loosens up and they’re both too busy to get caught up in Troy and Abed’s schemes.  It’s good.”  They both watched silently as Jeff pulled Annie’s books out of her arms to carry them across the quad.  
  
“I still don’t like it.”  She patted his shoulder.  
  
“You don’t have to.”  
  
“What about you?”  
  
“Me?  I don’t have a horse in this race.”  He raised an eyebrow.  She rolled her eyes.  “Fine.  I wasn’t really happy about it at first.  But…  They’re happy, you know?  Jeff and I were never like that.  And Troy…  I don’t know.  But I’m okay with it.”  He put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed.  
  
“You’ll make a good therapist, Brittles.  When you relax that stick up your butt.”  There was another eye roll in response but she stayed silent otherwise.  
  
They stayed like that, quiet and contemplative, as Jeff’s free hand tentatively reached out to hold Annie’s and the two were out of sight.


	10. Negotiating With Roommates & Guest Etiquette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Jeff & Annie have done something to annoy another member of the study group."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG.  
> Word Count: 307  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters. I don't own any recognizable characters, plots, or ideas.  
> A/N: Honestly, it's been done before but it's what popped into my head. My apologies.

Troy hates Jeff just a little bit right now.  Like, really, really hates him.  Because they’re both in the bathroom, there’s only one condom and it looks like Jeff is winning.  
  
“But I bought these!”  
  
“Irrelevant, Troy, since you bought them to replace the one’s that Annie bought.”  Jeff looks just smug enough that Troy is tempted to grab the condom and run.  He’s pretty fast and his door has a lock on it ever since that unfortunate incident where Annie walked in on him and one of his A/C Repair School groupies.  
  
“Jeff, man, you and Annie do it all the time.  Literally, I heard you two going at it this morning!”  
  
“Just because Annie and I have a healthy sex life, it doesn’t mean you get to have the condom.  You and Britta were doing it way before we started dating.”  
  
“But we broke up so we’re new to having sex with each other again.  It’s important.  And why does Annie keep condoms in the bathroom, anyway?  Unless she  _wants_  to share!”  Jeff rolled his eyes.  
  
“She keeps them in here because she knows you’re too embarrassed to buy them and she worries that Abed will forget and she thinks she has to take care of the two of you.”  Jeff glared at him and Troy couldn’t help the twinge of guilt.  
  
“Rock, paper, scissors?”  Jeff eyed him for a moment.  
  
“No Spock or ninjas or anything?”  Troy shook his head.  “Okay.”  They geared up and seconds later, it was official, Troy was not having sex that night.  
  
“Better luck next time.”  A pat on the back and Jeff was gone.  Troy groaned as he realized he’d be heading back to bed, frustrated  and having to explain to Britta.  Most of the time being Annie’s roommate was awesome.  Other days, today in particular, it sucked.


	11. Negotiating With Roommates & Guest Etiquette, Alternate Version

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Jeff & Annie have done something to annoy another member of the study group."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG.  
> A/N: I recognized, after I posted the first version, that it would've worked better to have Britta and Annie do the whole shebang so I wrote this after that particular battle concluded.  
> Word Count: 770  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters. I don't own any recognizable characters, plots, or ideas.

Britta slid into the bathroom, just barely avoiding crashing into the countertop as she spotted Annie, already there.  The brunette looked up at her, a distracted smile gracing her face before she turned back to the drawer she was digging through.  
  
“Oh, hi.”  
  
“Hey, Britta, did you need something?”  Britta bit her lip and contemplated how weird it would be to divulge what she was there for.  Finally, rolling her eyes at her own worries, she decided to just go for it.  
  
“I need a condom.  What are you looking for?”  Annie looked up at her in surprise and blushed even as she smiled.  
  
“The same.”  She had lowered her voice to a confiding whisper but continued in a regular tone.  “I swear they were in here, but…”  It was Britta’s turn to blush.  
  
“Uh, yeah, they’re in the second drawer.  Troy and I moved them when Abed was being weird.”  Annie nodded in understanding and moved her search down.  She fumbled the drawer open in her haste and grabbed the box inside that they were both looking for, holding it aloft triumphantly.  Her expression deflated slightly as she realized there was only one condom in there.  
  
“Shit.”  Annie nodded in agreement with Britta’s sentiment.  They were both thrown for a moment when Jeff appeared at the door of Annie’s room, his shirt open and his pants undone.  
  
“Annie?”  She smiled at him, hoping her irritation was well-concealed, and tried to think of a way to deter him for a minute.  
  
“Give us a minute, we’re just trying to decide something.”  His brow furrowed but he nodded as they slowly closed the door.  
  
“Jeff told me he loved me.”  Britta’s eyes widened as she gasped and wrapped her arms around Annie.  
  
“Aww, Annie!”  Her smile turned down slightly as she realized why Annie wanted the condom.  “Troy and I just got back together…”  Annie stared at her, eyes growing slightly wet.  Britta narrowed her own.  “Quit it, Edison.”  Annie eyes appeared to magically dry up and she sniffed in offense.  
  
“Well.  I guess we have a problem.”  
  
“Look, I will do your laundry.  For a month.”  Annie rolled her eyes in response.  
  
“Britta, you don’t even do your own laundry.”  
  
“Okay, I’ll clean your apartment?  For two months, even!”  Annie looked skeptical.  
  
“Tell you what, if you can tell me where I keep the cleaning supplies, and I don’t mean the dish soap or the laundry detergent, I’ll give you the condom.”  Britta considered the question and desperately hoped her uncertainty didn’t show.  Closing her eyes as she came to grips with her lack of knowledge, she shook her head.  
  
“Damn it!”  Annie crowed in success.  Britta huffed.  “Rock, Paper, Scissors?”  
  
“Okay…  But no ninjas or Kickpunchers.  And no time jumps!”  Britta looked at her, aghast, at her outburst.  “Sorry.  Troy and Abed.”  Britta’s expression smoothed, knowing exactly what Annie meant.  
  
“Just the usual.”  Eyeing her consideringly, Annie nodded.  “Alright.  One.  Two.  Three.”  Their fists flew and just like that, Britta saw her chances die.  Her scissors were beat by Annie’s rock.  She groaned.  “Fine.  Go have sex.”  
  
“Thank you!”  Annie smiled winningly and sailed out the door.  
  
And that was where they were greeted by the sight of Jeff and Troy arguing.  
  
“No, no, you’ve got it all wrong!  Spiderman would definitely beat any of the Avengers in a one-on-one fight.”  
  
“No way, man!  I love Spiderman but let’s be real, Thor would kill him.  Plus, Black Widow is a redhead and Spidey has a weakness for redheads.”  Jeff’s head wavered from side to side considering.  
  
“Yeah, but who doesn’t?  He’s devoted to Mary Jane so it’s moot anyway.”  Troy looked unsure.  
  
“I still think Thor could kill him.  I mean, he’s the God of Thunder, Jeff.  He controls lightning.  And he has a giant hammer.  That’s bad ass.  Spiderman has webs and he comes from spiders which are scary because they have all those legs?”  He looked at Jeff there, as if awaiting confirmation, before he continued.  “But I don’t think it’s enough.”  Annie decided that was an opportune time to interrupt.  
  
“Jeff, sweetie?”  He looked up at her and smiled in anticipation.  “C’mon…”  Grabbing his hand, she waved to Troy and led Jeff to her room, closing the door firmly behind her.  A minute later, frantic eleventh hour search called, Britta wandered out of the bathroom to find Troy waiting there.  He raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
“Sorry,”  She patted his chest as she kept walking toward his room.  “They’re having sex tonight.  We can do it tomorrow.”  He frowned even as he followed her.  
  
“Wait, what?”


	12. Intermediate Introduction to Graphic Literature (The Making of a Supervillain)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Annie starts dating a superhero and Jeff reaches new levels of jealousy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG.  
> Word Count: 523  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters. I don't own any recognizable characters, plots, or ideas.  
> A/N: There was a Happy Endings theme in the post/comments of that week's fic battle, thus a Happy Endings-inspired comment fic. Doesn't explicitly follow the prompt, as such. Oh, and there's a brief reference to Don't Trust the B.

"Who is that?"  Jeff valiantly attempted to keep his thinly-veiled disgust in check but he was pretty sure it wasn't working.  
  
"Annie's new boyfriend.  Well, I think they're dating.  She seems to sleep over at his place a lot."  Abed turned as he felt Troy tugging at his sleeve and raised his eyebrow in question.  
  
"Uh, Abed?  Annie made us promise not to tell?  Remember?"  
  
"I remember.  But now that Chase is here, it doesn't really seem necessary.  Besides, Jeff is clearly freaking out.  I wasn't allowed to include it in my documentary about Pierce but spoiler alert, it's the best part."  
  
"So you two bozos were aware that Annie was dating a potential psychopath and you did nothing?"  It was a fight to keep his voice level but Jeff just barely managed it.  
  
"Hey!  We met Chase and he was very nice.  He bought us stuff."  Jeff listened to Troy's objection and then glared at him before he switched his attention back to Abed.  
  
"Annie was very emphatic that we were not allowed to say anything."  He cocked his head.  "He actually fits the profile of superhero more than a psychopath."  He started ticking points off on his fingers.  "He disappears at a moment's notice.  Money is no object.  He's very physically fit.  He's inhumanly attractive.  He looks good in spandex.  And that one time he slept over, I heard Annie say something about his mouth being magic."  Taking in Britta's wide eyes, he clarified.  "It probably referred to his sexual prowess but I had to consider that maybe it was his hidden super power."  
  
"You two are horrible roommates!  What if he's got Annie under some kind of sexual spell and he's planning to sacrifice her to his gods!"  Abed considered the question carefully.  
  
"Unlikely.  If Chase isn't a superhero, I'd bet he's a spy."  Troy nodded in agreement.  "Besides, it's a lot harder to seduce Annie these days.  She doesn't react to my Don Draper impression anymore.  It probably has to do with all those guys she ‘dated’ last summer."  
  
"Yeah, remember that guy she hooked up with in New York who looked exactly like James Van Der Beek?"  Abed frowned.  
  
"That  _was_  James Van Der Beek.  He gave us each a pair of signed Beek Jeans."  Troy smiled fondly.  
  
"Yeah...  He did."  
  
"I can't believe how useless the two of you are.  Being Annie's roommate means taking care of her, including protecting her from herself and from bad decisions!"  Troy shook his head.  
  
"Jeff, man, get over it.  Annie's an adult.  She's hot.  She makes better decisions than we do."  He considered that for a moment, recalling Batman and their still-fearful landlord.  "Most of the time.  But she's old enough to make her own mistakes.  And now she's dating a superhero.  Which is awesome."  The argument was cut short as Annie approached, her ‘boyfriend’ following eagerly after her.  
  
“Guys!  I want to introduce you to Chase!  Chase, this is my study group.  My  _friends_.”  Annie stood there, boyfriend in tow, and the rage Jeff felt slowly mounted.  And that settled it right there.  Jeff would ruin him.  Ruin him!


	13. Intermediate Introduction to Graphic Literature (Superheroes & Secret Identities)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Annie starts dating a superhero and Jeff reaches new levels of jealousy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG.  
> Word Count: 507  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters. I don't own any recognizable characters, plots, or ideas.

He’s not sure what he just saw but whatever it was, it’s not something he’s likely to forget.  
  
\----  
  
He’s walking down the hallway when the back of his neck prickles.  He looks around but only sees a tall blonde guy at his locker.  Jeff dismisses the strange feeling churning in his gut and continues to his class.  He’s got better things to think about.  
  
\----  
  
He’s sitting in No Bake Baking! when his mind jumps against his will to the scene he witnessed last week; a man dressed entirely in grey and black, hood pulled up, had thwarted Leonard’s efforts to steal the last burrito from the vending machine.  It wouldn’t have been a big deal but Jeff had fallen asleep watching the same masked man stop a bank robbery in Denver on the news the night before.  
  
\----  
  
His heart just about stops when he rounds the corner to Annie’s locker and has to watch as she kisses the blonde guy he recognizes from a few days before.  It seems clear, all of a sudden, why his stomach had clenched and his hair had stood on end.  He’d known,  _known_ , something was off about him.  He just hadn’t known what.  He abruptly switches direction even as he resolves to find out what exactly it is about that guy that makes him feel so dirty.  
  
\----  
  
He stalks him as stealthily as he can but it’s harder than it looks.  The guy is a fucking ninja because he’s there one minute and gone the next.  Jeff is forced to contemplate maybe cashing in some favours and calling in the experts but he’s not prepared to go that far.   _Yet_.  
  
Ten minutes later, the idea is moot because the expert pops up beside him in the bush where Jeff is hiding.  
  
“I have a theory.  I think he’s a superhero.”  Jeff glares at him but it doesn’t seem to faze Abed.  “Okay, I’ll try again.  It’s come to my attention that you’re stalking Oliver Harrison.  Why?”  Jeff glared some more.  
  
“I’m not stalking him.”  An eyebrow lifted and he recanted.  “Okay, so I am stalking him.  But only because there’s…   Something off.”  Abed nodded.  
  
“I agree.  I suspect you’re more upset that he’s dating Annie but for the purpose of this adventure , I’ll accept your story.  I’m willing to help.”  Jeff stared, slightly bewildered, before giving a short nod.  “Here’s what we have to do.”  
  
\----  
  
He felt like an idiot but that was nothing new to him after all that time at Greendale.  Still, standing in the quad, covered in a fine white film, and whacking at a tree with a dull axe was not the way he’d intended his Wednesday afternoon to go.  Not again anyway.  
  
It took five minutes for the Grey Guardsman to show.  It took a further five minutes for Jeff to catch a close up glimpse of his face.  It took less than five seconds before he’d knocked out for Jeff to admit that Abed was right.  
  
Annie’s new beau, Oliver Harrison, was a superhero.


	14. Intermediate Studies in Horror Auteurs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Well. What I'd really like to see is: Jeff dealing with the fallout of (or being directly involved in) shenanigans, preferably of the AnTroBed variety."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG.  
> Word Count: 1408  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters. I don't own any recognizable characters, plots, or ideas.
> 
> A/N: So I wrote way more than the 500 words you're supposed to for this prompt. Hopefully the extra fills out the details rather than detracts from the story. If you'd like to see the concise version, [check it out at M/M](http://milady-milord.livejournal.com/1072195.html?thread=15375939#t15375939).

All he had wanted was his jacket that he'd left there the night before.  But of course, when did what he wanted ever matter?  Instead, Jeff had approached apartment 303 only to find the door ajar.  He had hesitated, unsure if he was about to walk in on something private or if he would end up being the creepy guy that hung around his friends' empty apartment.  But really, was that even _possible_  with this group?  He shook his head and checked himself, moving firmly toward the door.  When he pushed it open, he stopped short and his eyes lit on the most obvious thing:  
  
A pool of red on the floor.  
  
The obvious answer was that something had spilled.  Jeff repeated that mantra over and over in his head.  It was harder to believe when he noticed that there was a dark and dried red stain across the table edge.  The window was open.  There was a broken vase near it.  Jeff took in all the little details and forced himself, through sheer will, not to hyperventilate.  
  
"Fucking hell."  The words slipped past his lips in a horrified whisper.  "Annie!"  His voice echoed in the still apartment.  "Annie!"  Getting no response yet again, Jeff decided to try a different tack.  "Abed!  Troy!"  The apartment remained quiet but Jeff swore he'd heard a squeak.  "Fuck.  I have to call 911.  Jesus Christ...  What...  Fuck."  He couldn't quite put together a coherent sentence but he figured this would have to be enough for now.  He was about to dial, unsure if he would even be able to hear the operator over the tinny roar of blood in his ears.  
  
"Wait, Jeff, don't call the police."  Startled, he nearly dropped his phone.  Standing across the room, at the door to Troy's bedroom, was Abed.  Immediately, he realized this wasn't entirely as it looked, so Jeff settled for glaring as he attempted to bring his heart rate somewhere along the lines of 'normal' and keep his anger in check.  
  
"What the hell, Abed?"  The question was ground out and he was gratified to see that Abed winced.  He hoped it was in fear.  
  
"I suppose this does require an explanation.  Okay.  So we're attempting a low-budget horror/thriller for my next film project.  Annie agreed to help.  We wanted to gauge how realistic it was so we set up the scene and decided to let someone discover it - we've been taping your reaction."  Breathing deeply, Jeff could feel his nostrils flaring as he listened to Abed's explanation.  It was a fairly cruel thing to do to an unsuspecting friend.  He was sort of surprised that Annie would go along with it despite her unexpectedly macabre sense of horror.  
  
"I can't believe you said my name last!"  Troy's voice floated out past the bedroom door, accompanied by a grunted 'oof' seconds later.  Jeff frowned.  
  
"Speaking of Annie, where is she?"  Abed's face smoothed out to such a degree that Jeff's hackles rose.  "Abed.  Where.  Is.  She?"  
  
"Annie is currently unavailable."  Stepping closer, moving carefully around the staged scene, Jeff did his best to intimidate Abed.  It turned out to be mostly unnecessary because seconds later, Troy squawked.  
  
"Abed!  Help!  She got free and I don't feel safe the way she's looking at me.  I think she's going to eat meeeeeeeeeeee!"  Jeff couldn't be entirely certain but he was 99% sure Troy was crying.  He manhandled Abed to the side and entered Troy's room in time to see Annie flip Troy over with her legs, completely disregarding the fact that she was wear a flimsy skirt, and then climb on top of his back, holding him down by applying pressure to his neck.  His arms and legs flailed but she ignored it as she worked the gag out of her mouth.  
  
"Holy shit, Annie."  She turned to look at him.  "Are you okay?"  She gave him a brief nod.  He shook his head to try banishing the memory of so much of her bare skin from his mind.  It didn’t really work but he managed to set it aside for the moment anyway.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine.  But these two," She jerked a thumb at Troy then Abed.  "Are going to be in serious trouble for the foreseeable future."  Jeff nodded in understanding.  
  
"What exactly happened here?"  She sighed.  
  
"I agreed to help Abed with his movie, like he said, so we set up the scene and then he told me that for added authenticity, to properly see how audiences would react, we needed to see genuine horror and fear.  Meaning they needed someone to believe the scene really happened.  They tied me up when I protested.  And they gagged me."  She paused there and gave Troy a noogie as he wailed below her.  "And then set up the cameras.  As soon as you entered the apartment, Troy sat on me!"  Jeff could see her knees tighten on Troy’s ribs and he heard the nearly silent ‘ack!’ that Troy let escape.  “I’m not very happy with them.”  He pursed his lips, considering the situation.  
  
“Did they hurt you?”  She shook her head slowly.  “How long were you…  Tied up for?”  
  
“What time is it?”  He checked his watch.  
  
“About 5:45PM.”  
  
“It was maybe 30 minutes.”  She narrowed her eyes in suspicion.  “Did they know you were coming?”  Jeff nodded  
  
“I mean, I mentioned I was going to try dropping by today around 5 or 6.  I said I would text Abed if I couldn’t make it.”  Annie frowned.  
  
“I can’t believe they did this.”  Jeff nodded in agreement and stretched his arm out, his palm open in a non-threatening manner.  
  
“I know.  They’re jerks.  I mean, how’d they know I’d even react?”  Annie rolled her eyes and stared at him skeptically.  He shifted uncomfortably.  “Okay, so maybe they had an idea.  How about you let Troy go, though?”  She looked down at her roommate whose back she was currently sitting on and nodded grudgingly.  Jeff extended his hand to her and she took it as she gingerly stood and stretched.  
  
She turned and stared at Troy who lay on his bed, peering at her fearfully.  She pointed a finger  and took a deep breath.  
  
“You.  You are in deep trouble, mister.  I am going to leave this apartment and cool off and the two of you are going to clean this place up and make a sincere apology to me.  And Jeff!  And then we are going to sit down and have a talk.”  She shook her head in disbelief.  “I’m really disappointed in the two of you.  Now, I don’t know where Abed has disappeared to, but you find him, and you explain to him what I just said.  Understood?”  Troy had the decency to look properly chastised and gave a quiet nod.  “Good.”  She grabbed her jacket and flounced out of his room.  
  
Jeff stared after her for a minute before he realized she was about to leave and hurried to catch up.  
  
“Seems like we’ve both had a pretty traumatic day thanks to those two goons.”  She sighed and nodded, leaning against him as they waited for the elevator.  He tucked his arm around her waist and stared at the top of his head, considering his words carefully.  “How about I buy you some ice cream?  Might help you ‘cool’ off.”  She snorted and turned her head into the groove of his arm before eyeing him from beneath lowered lashes.  
  
“I need to eat dinner first.  I already skipped lunch today.”  He frowned at her, a question on his lips, before she cut him off.  “I had an assignment due.  We have groceries, Jeff, don’t worry.”  Her eye roll was accompanied by a gentle smile so he was partially mollified.  
  
“I worry about you.  It’s not normal to ignore necessities like, you know, eating for studying, Annie.  You don’t see any other mammals doing that, do you?”  She punched him weakly.  
  
“You’re such a dork.”  
  
“Doesn’t that mean whale penis?”   
  
“Just buy me dinner, okay, Jeff?  Leave the witty remarks to people like Ryan Seacrest who get paid for it.”  His jaw dropped in offense.  
  
“I should make you eat at that vegan place Britta loves just for that.”  
  
“You hate that place, not me.”  He frowned.  
  
“Damn.”  The elevator dinged and a second later, the doors slid open and the two entered, his arm still curled gently around her waist.


	15. Round Robin Storytelling for Advanced Beginners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "'A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies.' -from the song "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" by REM. I'd like to see a bit of drama this round!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG.  
> Word Count: 1757  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters. I don't own any recognizable characters, plots, or ideas.
> 
> A/N: I realize that if it were a proper round-robin, after Shirley talks to Annie, she would talk to Jeff but I needed a transition piece so, you know, artistic license!

“Annie, I just…  I want to be with you but I can’t do this anymore.  Not right now.”  There’s a lie in there somewhere but he’ll be damned if he tells her, admits to himself, which one it is.  
  
And just like that, they’re over.  
  
\---  
  
“It wasn’t easy.  I was really hurt, you know?  But I’m an adult and he’s an adult and…  He was honest.  I’m not saying I’m 100% over it but, I’m okay, Britta.   _Really._ ”  She’s mostly telling the truth so she doesn’t feel so bad but Annie still releases an inaudible sigh of relief when Britta nods and smiles.  
  
\---  
  
“Guys, she’s  _fine_!  I mean, mostly.”  Britta studied the two men in front of her before heaving a sigh and continuing.  “I know you’re worried but I talked to Annie.  She’s not happy with the situation, obviously, but she told me she was doing okay.  I believed her.”  Britta nearly swallows her tongue as she hears the words slipping out.  It’s not like she wants to lie but sometimes, it’s necessary.  Troy and Abed just look so damn forlorn.  
  
\---  
  
“What do you expect me to do?”  Shirley throws her hands up in exasperation, waiting impatiently for a good reason to get involved but she’d promised Jeff.  She had promised.  
  
“We just want you to talk to Jeff.  And Annie.  Separately.  You’re friends with both of them, right?”  Shirley nods and so do they.  “You’re really good at making people feel better, Shirley.  They both say they’re fine but…”  They shrug in unison.  “We’d feel better if you talked to both of them.”  Shirley watches them with a soft smile before nodding gently and agreeing to do as they ask.  
  
“Thanks, Shirley.”  Abed’s words float to her as Troy hugs her and she swears the two of them are becoming one person.  The idea makes her smile rather than cringe.  She doesn’t see the secret smile they share as they leave her little office.  
  
Vague manipulations aren’t really lying after all and they’re doing it for a good cause anyway.  
  
\---  
  
“So, Annie, dear.”  Shirley offers as open and gentle a smile as she can.  “How are you doing?”  She gets an eye roll in response but she keeps her expression even despite the offense.  
  
“Sorry, Shirley.  I’m just tired of that question.  I’m fine.  Jeff dumped me and I’m okay.  I know that nobody believes it but Jeff Winger isn’t the centre of my world.  In fact,” She brightens.  “I might be seeing someone?”  Annie forces a wide smile.  It’s probably not good that the best she can say these days is that ‘she’s mostly telling the truth.’   
  
Shirley’s eyes widen and she’s speechless but she manages to pass it off as excitement, she thinks.  She realizes she has yet to speak and rushes to correct that.  
  
“Oh, Annie!  I’m so excited for you!”  Shirley breathes deeply and reminds herself it’s not a lie because 'excited' has many meanings and God forgives on technicalities all the time.  
  
\---  
  
Shirley greets Jeff with minimal sympathy.  He’s the fool that started this entire saga and as much as she loves her study group, running around trying to fix their romantic problems while running a business and raising a family is not _fun_  for her.  
  
“Jeffrey.  Dear.”  He winces and Shirley feels a twinge of vindication.  So the boy  _knows_  he’s a pain in the ass, at least there’s that.  She studies his face for a moment longer before her expression and tone softens.  “What’s going on, Jeff?”  
  
“I’m in love with her, Shirley.”  Jeff is pretty sure that’s the first 100% true and honest thing he’s said since he and Annie ended their relationship.  His confession is met with silence and he’s a little bit surprised because he thought it’d draw a bigger reaction.  This is a big deal, after all.  
  
“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you had more to say.  Stating the obvious isn’t exactly shocking.”  Jeff is taken aback at Shirley’s matter of fact reply because really, the _obvious_?  That’s reaching.  
  
“It wasn’t obvious.”  It’s not his best defence but whatever.  
  
“It was.  And is.  And you’re a damned fool.  But if you want to keep lying to yourself, that’s fine.  You should know that she’s seeing someone, though.  Your time to be honest and get yourself together is running short, Jeff.”  She pats his arm and, going on an instinct that has never led her wrong, she reaches over to hug him before she heads back behind the counter.  Shirley’s Sandwiches is a place for all kinds of nourishment and she kind of loves that.  Her smiles grows as she realizes she didn’t have to lie once during their entire conversation.  
  
Jeff supposes it’s progress that he knows exactly which of his words are lies now.  
  
\---  
  
Jeff is so, so unimaginably thankful that Annie is a forgiving soul.  Most of the time, anyway.  He knows she still nurses an impressively strong grudge against Annie Kim.  Because if she were less forgiving, there’d be no way she would even entertain the notion of talking to him.  And she would have every right to ignore him like that.  He’s sort of been a selfish ass.  
  
But it’s Annie, so when he corners her, she hears him out.  
  
“I’m sorry.”  She nods impassively and folds her arm protectively across her chest.  He closes his eyes for a second hoping to marshal his jumbled thoughts into some sort of coherent explanation.  When he opens them, he finds her studying her shoes and her shoulders tense.  “I’m an idiot.  Which, I know, you already know that.  But…”  He pauses again, unsure of how to articulate what he wants to get across.  
  
“Fuck, Annie, I don’t know how to say what I want to say.”  He figures he might as well be honest because Annie so rarely judges him for his honesty.  Censures him, yes, but she doesn’t judge him.  She bites her lip and studies his face and he’s pretty sure he’s _actually_  on the verge of crying when she finally speaks.  
  
“Try.  We can figure it out later.”  She’s quiet and calm and Jeff is sure he shouldn’t read into her casual use of ‘we’ but he can’t help the flicker of hope that rises at her words.  He owes her his words, at the very least, so he forces himself to start somewhere.  
  
“I love you.”  Once that’s out, Jeff suddenly finds everything a lot easier.  “I don’t know if you knew that but I didn’t.  I mean, I did, but I didn’t realize how bad it was.”  He winces.  “I didn’t mean that, it’s a good thing!  But I thought it was just that I really liked you and the sex was fun and I could borrow your hair products and I got along with your friends.  But, Annie, it was…  It was a lot more than that.”  He takes a deep breath, recalling what started his spiral of fear and bad decisions.  
  
“A couple of months ago, you were playing with Ben and my first thought when I saw him throw himself at you?”  She nods at the memory, smiling slightly as she remembers roughhousing with the toddler.  “It was that he’d be a great linebacker but our kids would be so much better at track.  Like, what the fuck, Annie?”  He’s pretty sure he looked deranged but he’s being utterly genuine.  “I’ve only ever thought about kids in the abstract.  Things like, ‘yeah, they’re cute away from my expensive suits’ and ‘condoms are a man’s best friend’ and then…”  He waved an arm rapidly at her.  “You happened.”  She doesn’t look impressed at his breathless exclamation but she doesn’t look like she hates him either.  
  
“So you’re blaming me for our break-up?”  
  
“What?  No!”  His reaction is immediate.  “No, it was definitely all me.  But…  God, Annie, I didn’t know what to do.  I knew I loved you but I realized that I literally couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life without you.”  This time he hears her low gasp.  “I didn’t know what to do with that.  I still don’t, not really.  But breaking up with you because I’m scared shitless was cutting off my nose to spite my face or something, I don’t know, it was Britta’s analogy, okay?  And I was just so fucking unhappy without you.”  He can see the tears gathering in her eyes and her half-laugh is quivery but she isn’t saying anything so he continues.  
  
“I’m fucked up, Annie.  And I don’t know if it’s worse to dump that on you or if it’s worse to leave you and pretend it’s for your own good when really, it’s about protecting myself.”  He shrugs helplessly.  “I don’t know what to do.”  
  
“You’re such an idiot.”  He nods in agreement.  That has been firmly established at this point.  “Haven’t you already figured out that we’re all messed up?  Abed tried to cut your arm off once.  Troy broke up with Britta because he wasn’t done playing Peter Pan.  Britta’s first real attempt at a healthy relationship took her until 31 and she stills calls me drunk and crying at 3AM because of it.  Shirley has rage issues.  I’m still in recovery.  Pierce is  _Pierce_.”   
  
She’s moved closer to him while speaking and she’s suddenly right in front of him and she’s smiling and Jeff is suddenly reconsidering his agnosticism because maybe heaven does exist and it’s right here and right now.  
  
He instantly invalidates his previous thoughts when she kisses him because this  _this_  is heaven.  She pulls away and Jeff wants to resist but he thinks it’s only fair that she gets to make the decisions given his terrible track record lately.  
  
“I love you.”  He amends his prior statement yet again before he finally decides that his definition of heaven is obviously Annie herself.  It’ll save him a lot of time if he makes that distinction now, he figures.  He realizes he’s been a little lost in his head when she clarifies.  “Like, a lot, Jeff.”  She widens her eyes dramatically for extra emphasis and intones, “ _A lot._ ”  He huffs a laugh and pulls her into a hug.  
  
“Yeah, I get it, Annie.”  Her words are muffled against his neck but he gets the gist of it – he’s been enough of an idiot lately that she wasn’t sure, you know, so – he cuts her off with another kiss.  
  
It’s the first time in weeks that neither of them have had to lie to get through a conversation.


	16. Chemical Equivalences & Safe Substitutions for Newbies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "I'd love to do a "the Other Study Group" challenge. "The Other Study Group" may be a study group that attended Greendale before the Greendale 7, attends Greendale at the same time as the Greendale 7, or will attend Greendale in the future."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: Probably up to season 4. Let's say you should be up to date to be on the safe side.  
> Rating: PG.  
> Word Count: 1363  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Community whatsoever, which I think is pretty obvious, since I can barely write the characters. I don't own any recognizable characters, plots, or ideas.

Annie knows she should resist, play hard to get or whatever, but she can't help herself, Rafe is  _that_  charming.  Instead, she curves her body toward him, tosses her hair behind her shoulder and playfully shoves at his arm.  He smiles and leans in conspiratorially and Annie has high hopes that he's about to say something cute and flirty but he seems to catch sight of something out of the corner of his eye because it's subtle, but his demeanour shifts.  He's still smiling but his whisper is so much less romantic than what she imagined.  
  
"There's a group of people staring at us from the corner...  Do you know them?"  With a sigh, Annie starts in on her ready-to-use explanation of her study group.  
  
\----  
  
When Annie marches over to the group and glares at them five minutes later, they're all prepared to get yelled at.  It's expected and really, if she yells first, it helps justify all the yelling they're almost certainly about to do in turn.  Shirley is their elected speaker this go-around so she clears her throat nervously and asks the question they all have waiting on the tips of their tongue as kindly as she can.  
  
"An-nie.  Who was that young man?"  Annie holds the glare a moment longer before a smile breaks out across her face.  
  
"That was Rafe and he asked me out!"  Britta and Shirley light up and Pierce loses interest almost immediately.  Abed stops to observe Jeff who is unmoving and impassive before he finally nudges Troy, an eyebrow raised.  Troy rolls his eyes then shakes his head, and cocks his head in the direction of the cafeteria questioningly.  Abed nods in response and they're off - they've got time for lunch, Jeff won't freak out right this minute after all.  
  
\----  
  
It happens, instead, when they're around the study room table.  
  
"So, how do you know this Rafe guy is legit, Annie?  He could be a weirdo stalker with sexual perversions to rival the Marquis de Sade."  
  
"Hey!  Just because he enjoyed things that fell outside of the realm of regular mainstream vanilla sex doesn't mean that the sad guy was bad or a pervert-"  Britta is silenced by Jeff's usual hand gesture and she hmphs unhappily.  Annie takes that time to huff indignantly at Jeff.  
  
"He invited me to come to his study group before we grabbed coffee, okay?  I'm sure if he's a total weirdo, it'd be obvious after that.  And okay, maybe he isn't 'legit' but," Jeff allows himself a second to feel offended at her use of air quotes before he tunes back in.  "Why does it matter?  I can take care of myself and it's not like any of the women you sleep with are 'legit' and nobody seems to care!"  She throws an apologetic glance Britta's way.  "No offence, Britta."  
  
"None taken.  Hey, wait!"  Jeff ignores the protests from the peanut gallery and focuses on Annie.  
  
"Aha!  He's trying to steal you from us!  They're probably all failing and they need your brain and he's seducing you away!"  Annie looks nonplussed at his excited revelation.  
  
"Should I be insulted that you think nobody would ask me out because they think I'm attractive or should I be complimented in your immense faith in my study abilities?  I don't even know what class they're taking together, Jeff."  Her irritation is palpable by now and Abed discretely rubs his palms together.  He sort of wishes he had some chocolate-covered raisins but hey, them’s the breaks.  
  
\----  
  
Annie peers nervously around the corner while she waits for Rafe.  It feels like her first day at Greendale all over, unsure if people will like her and how are there so many study groups on campus and she’s never voluntarily asked to be part of any them?  She’s oh so close to falling down the rabbit hole of anxiety and stress when Rafe finally appears.  She sighs in relief and smiles as he gestures her forward, directing her to Study Room A.  
  
She looks around, taking it all in, and finds it inescapably strange to be in a study room at Greendale that looks almost exactly like the one she uses daily but  _feels_ different.  Nonetheless, she studies the faces of the people around the table and smiles shyly.  A redhead in one of the corner seats waves back, a bright smile in place.  
  
“Hey, guys, I brought a friend with me, this is Annie.”  Everyone smiles in welcome and Annie is a little taken aback.  Are people always this friendly?  “Annie,” He touches her elbow gently, “this is Margo, Steve, Max, Lisa, Cynthia and Maria.”  He points at each person as he names them and she waves back dutifully.  He pulls out a chair for her and sits down beside her and just like that, they start studying.  
  
\----  
  
Annie discovers over the course of the next two hours, that they are all taking a Media Ethics course.  It’s an introductory course about journalistic integrity, copyright and more.  It’s not difficult, they all explain, just a lot of information.  She nods, eyes wide, as they work together and help each other and generally, use their time productively.  
  
It’s like they’re at a real college.  
  
\----  
  
Of course, they’re also friends, Lisa laughs.  But study group is for studying.  She wants to go into journalism, write exposés and change the world so she can’t afford to mess this up – she’s already on her second chance.  Annie finds herself distracted by the lack of Chang puns.  
  
\----  
  
Maria is bubbly and friendly and it seems like her life story pours out in one go.  Her parents are immigrants and they can’t afford to send her or her siblings to university, so community college it is until she can save up enough.  This course is actually a bit of a lark for her, meant to aid in her volunteer position with the Immigrant Women’s Centre, and Annie briefly thinks that she should introduce her to Britta before  Max steals her attention.  
  
\----  
  
Max is cute and has a talent for storytelling and he mostly wants to write children’s books and youth fiction.  It’s a passion of his, he says, because books were such a boon growing up.  Influencing the minds of the next generation, he says with a laugh.  Annie thinks that if Rafe hadn’t asked her out first, she’d probably fall head over heels for Max.  She smiles ruefully when he casually mentions his boyfriend because  _of course_.  
  
\----  
  
Cynthia, sitting to her left, leans over and pats her arm consolingly, and explains that everyone falls a little in love with Max.  Annie eyes widen and she starts to sputter out a denial when she realizes Cynthia was teasing.  She quickly learns that Cynthia is a part-time student, who attends classes in between her job as paralegal.  She’s been thinking about a career change and Greendale is cheap enough for her to explore her options.  Annie empathizes and tells her she’s considering changing majors.  The challenge of finding themselves creates an immediate bond.  
  
\----  
  
Steve mostly stays quiet.  He’s a stay at home dad who used to work as an engineer.  His kids are all going to be in school next year, he tells Annie proudly, so he’s just trying to keep his skills current.  She nods along to everything he says and coos at pictures of his kids and marvels at his equanimity.  
  
\----  
  
Margo just sits and smiles and nods and speaks not a word. She doesn’t speak to Annie the entire study session but when they’re all getting ready to leave, she manages to corner her.  She tells Annie that she seems like a nice young woman.  Annie thanks her but she knows this intimidating woman is far from done.  Margo proves her right as she tells Annie that she’s a retired career woman who looks on this study group as her family and wants them happy.  Happy  _and safe_.  Annie nods and hurries out after Rafe.  
  
\----  
  
They go out to coffee and it’s fun and it’s nice and it’s wonderful, really.  Annie insists on paying for her own latte and declines Rafe’s invitation for another date anyway.  
  
Normal’s overrated.


	17. The Art of Randomology

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Here's one that people can take absolutely anywhere: JA story that must use these 10 randomly generated words: Wig, TV, Shopping, Prejudice, Square, Bath, Antique, Fleet, Holiday and License."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to use the words in the order given which hampered me a bit. I'm not entirely pleased with the result but it's not terrible either, I don't think.

Jeff didn’t hate Greendale and there was really no point in pretending he did.  Greendale dances, however, were something he could do without.  Unfortunately, his friends were still attending Greendale and the frequent dances were a good way of scheduling time together in an increasingly busy post-grad year.

 

And that was why Jeff found himself at the **Wig** Dance.

 

Okay, that and there was nothing on **TV** between May and June.

 

Still, Jeff couldn’t bring himself to be too upset.  He had merely reused last year’s wig and gone shopping for _better_ things instead.  Maybe there was some **prejudice** against adult men buying what essentially looked like toys but he hadn’t been bothered.  He had marched into the little hobby store and picked up six of those large **square** boxes and marched right back out.  His immediate destination had been Apartment 303 and it would’ve been _grand_!

 

If he hadn’t interrupted Annie having a **bath**.

 

Instead, Jeff had spun on his heel and thrown out a flimsy excuse over his shoulder as he ran away as fast as he could.  It hadn’t been his finest moment, not by a longshot.  He’d even knocked over an **antique** lamp sitting in the hallway in his haste.  He’d felt a twinge of guilt but it had been overwhelmed by his desire to flee.  So he was a coward, so what?

 

He shook the memory out of his head and focused on why he’d bought the RC cars – he wanted to build a **fleet**!  With Troy and Abed by his side, they’d be unstoppable!

 

“Jeff, why are you standing in the corner rubbing your hands together like a cartoon villain?”  He was startled to realize that Annie was standing in front of him, looking concerned.

 

“Uh.”  He cast around for a reasonable explanation but found nothing.  He sighed.  “I’m bored and I want to go race cars with Troy and Abed.”

 

“And here I thought it was the wig that lent you a sense of youthfulness.”  She nudged his shoulder playfully and he bumped her hip in retaliation.  He winced as he reached out to steady her when she nearly went flying.  “Thanks.”  She leaned into him as she adjusted her wig before she looked up at him curiously.  “So what’s with the renewed interest in RC cars?”  He grinned.

 

“This **holiday** weekend, they’re having a tournament.  I think it was inspired by Fast  & Furious 6 or the Indy 500 or…  Honestly, I don’t know.  But…  I think it’d be fun.”  She nodded slowly.

 

“Sounds like.  Don’t they need a **license** for that?”  He shook his head.

 

“I don’t think so.  It’s in the park and it’s RC cars, nobody should be in danger.”  Her eyes were wide as she nodded again in understanding.

 

“So…  Does that mean I can be on your team?”  Her smile was teasing but he answered her seriously anyway.

 

“Anytime, Annie.  Anytime.”


	18. Romance in Regency England for Beginngers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Here's one that people can take absolutely anywhere: JA story that must use these 10 randomly generated words: Wig, TV, Shopping, Prejudice, Square, Bath, Antique, Fleet, Holiday and License."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this entire thing in a British accent, just so you know. And I cheated with one of the words because it just didn't fit otherwise - you'll see!

Lord Jeffrey Winger, Esquire, adjusted his **wig** and checked his reflection in the looking glass.  He looked as dashing as a man of limited means could possibly look.  Straightening his coat one last time, he left his house and headed toward the town **square**. 

 

He passed the **bath** house and the livery quickly, a **fleet** of merchants briefly obscuring his view, before he slowed, his destination, Bond Street, coming into sight - the premier place for well-bred young ladies to go **shopping**.  If he were lucky, he would happen upon Lady Annie Edison.  If he were _unlucky_ , he'd happen upon Lady Annie _and_ her chaperone, Lady Britta Perry, who really wasn't much of a lady at all.  Jeff glowered just thinking about her.

 

The Lady Perry had gone to the Colonies years ago and returned as quite the upstart, always railing about some **prejudice** or injustice or another.  There were any number of rumours whispered about her in the gardens of Hyde Park and beyond.  Not that it mattered much to her.  She was no longer on the marriage mart but had rather settled into spinsterhood quite happily.  With her parents long since deceased, she wasn’t interested in finding a husband, preferring to live in her brother’s town house and serve as chaperone to the unfortunately impressionable young ladies of the Ton Elite. 

 

Jeffrey had once fancied her but he scoffed at the idea now.  Lady Perry was all of the intelligence of Lady Annie with considerably less of the charm!  It was a churlish and ungentlemanly thought but it was also agreed upon fact in the hallowed halls of White’s and Brook’s that she was much like a Greek siren or old, a vicious harpy wrapped in transcendent beauty, and so he consoled himself regarding his uncharitable thoughts.

 

It had stunned him at first that Lady Annie’s parents would leave her in Lady Perry’s charge, but it was common knowledge among the Ton that Lord and Lady Edison lived separate lives, unable to stand each other when forced together for any length of time.  Their public rows had been famous in their volume and scathing anger.  Once Lady Annie had been conceived, Lady Edison had retired to their country home while Lord Edison stayed in town, tending to the responsibilities a fortune and title entailed and avoiding his unhappy home as much as he could. 

 

Their acrimonious relationship led to Lady Annie ‘going away’ for some time and missing what should have been her first season.  It stood now as a mark against her in the eyes of the Ton despite her delicate beauty and appropriately demure demeanour.  Jeffrey didn’t hold any of that against her, though.  He too had struggled. 

 

His father was a well-known layabout and drunk, mean when he was home, and a wastrel and charlatan when he wasn’t.  His mother had become something of a recluse in the wake of his father’s unending string of betrayals and he had sold **antique** after antique from their family home to put himself through law school and attain his **license** while she lived quietly in a townhouse on exclusive Park Lane.

 

He supported himself through honest means now, but it wasn’t ideal, not when it came to the Ton Elite and taking his place in the House of Lords.  As soon as his father was dead and gone, and he inherited the title, he swore to restore his family’s honour and their fortune.  The first step?  Marrying a monied debutante.  With his own reputation tarnished, he wasn’t much of a catch.  Seeing as how Lady Annie wasn’t either, he thought she might be interested.

 

He deftly sidestepped a vagrant yelling about his **TV** or something but, with his mouth full of rotgut, it was hard to tell what the poor sod meant.

 

Speaking of poor sods, Pierce Hawthorne, a wealthy if irritating old man, was hosting a **holiday** party at his country estate and he intended to ask if Lady Annie was attending.  He knew she would be as it was quite the annual event but it would make clear his interest without being _too_ forward.  There, he would fine some time alone with her, a moment or two would do, and he would lay out his plight. 

 

He’d had the chance to know Lady Annie in brief meetings through the years before he left for Oxford and since he had returned.  She was a fierce little thing, resilient and bright.  He was quite a few years older than she was but he hadn’t yet married, preferring to keep a mistress here or there.  Of course, he hadn’t been in much of a position to take a bride prior but he hadn’t felt much of a tug toward the matrimonial life given his parents’ example. 

 

It was this year, having settled into his profession that he quite enjoyed, when he had seen Lady Annie at the opening event of the Season that it had occurred to him that perhaps it was time for marriage.  His mother badgered him regularly about the matter and his father, it was said, wouldn’t be much longer for the world so his responsibilities amongst the peerage would be taking effect.  Yes, Jeffrey thought, it seemed like all the stars were aligning.  Here he was, finally interested in marriage and there she was, in want of a husband! 

 

He had a foolproof backup plan just in case.

 

Should Lady Annie refuse him, Jeffrey would simply have to compromise her.  It would be _such_ a chore, an arduous task to be sure, but he would do it, for God and country!  He smiled to himself and buffed his nails jauntily against his coat.  He leaned against a signpost, careful not to catch a rough edge, and waited for the young lady and, god forbid, her chaperone to emerge.  If all went well, he might even have time for a visit to Saville Row.  A few minutes later, he watched through the large front window as Lady Annie began paying for her purchases.  It took him but a minute to make himself look busy as they exited.

 

It took only scant seconds, however, for Lady Annie and Lady Britta to bestow their combined attention upon him.


	19. Dating for Dummies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Jeff and/or Annie not realizing they are on a date.."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a tiny little extra bit (187 words) added at the very end just to bother busycybering but it it NOT how the fic would end were I to continue it.

Jeff and Annie arrived at the hotel, surprised to find they were the first ones there.  Annie looked at Jeff, a question on her face, but he just shrugged and proceeded to check-in.  Heaving a sigh, she followed him up to their adjoining rooms, determined to relax before her rambunctious roommates and the rest of their...  Delightfully absurd friends arrived.

 

Which was, of course, when they discovered that the group was no longer coming.

 

Britta's succinct text explained that she had to choose between rent and their vacation and she chose rent.  Troy and Abed had gotten derailed on their way to Vail when they stumbled upon a movie being filmed.  The ensuing text conversation had gone like so:

 

Sent at 08-02-2014-15:02

**Annie:**   _What?  Why aren't you coming?_

 

Sent at 08-02-2014-15:03

**Abed:**   _I told you they're filming a remake of Alien Seed._

 

Sent at 08-02-2014-15:05

**Annie** :  _What movie is that?_

 

Sent at 08-02-2014-15:06

**Abed:**   _A 1989 sci-fi classic._

 

Sent at 08-02-2014-15:09

**Annie:**   _...  Okay.  Why do you even know about it?_

 

Sent at 08-02-2014-15:09

**Annie:**   _Wait, forget it. Why did I even ask?_

 

Sent at 08-02-2014-15:09

**Abed:**   _I've seen everything Erik Estrada's been in.  Why haven't you?_

 

Sent at 08-02-2014-15:20

**Annie:**   _We'll discuss this later._

 

Shirley cancelled because Elijah was sick with the flu and she was certain, left to Andre, she would come back to four sick boys instead of one.  Pierce had forgotten but pretended he hadn't by insisting he had plans with a Swiss Air flight attendant.  Jeff hadn't been sorry about losing the company with him.

 

At 6:15, they headed down to grab dinner at the in-house restaurant, deciding to enjoy the weekend despite the absence of their friends.  It was a nicer hotel, which necessitated a little extra care put into their appearances.  And that was the only reason, Jeff maintained, that he nearly swallowed his tongue when he saw Annie.

 

“Milady?”  He managed to extend his arm and play off his silence as gallantry.  She took the proffered elbow and hid a smile behind her hand.

 

“Milord.”  They made their way to the restaurant, were seated almost immediately, and fell into conversation as they perused the menu.

 

He ordered the filet mignon, medium rare, and she ordered the lamb.  They talked.  They laughed.  They shared a bottle of wine.  It shouldn’t have been a surprise and yet, two and a half hours had passed when the waiter finally came around to ask about dessert.

 

“Want to share?”  His smile was equal parts charming and hopeful.

 

“Watching out for your abs?”  Her fond teasing garnered a smile from him.

 

“Don’t lie, so are you.”  He had a moment of delighted glee when, instead of responding, Annie blushed delicately.  “I put in the time and effort for you as much as me, Annie.”

 

“The molten chocolate lava cake?”  She cleared her throat rather than respond and looked at him for confirmation.  His smile spread and she shifted her gaze to the waiter.  “We’ll do the molten chocolate lava cake.  Thank you.”  The young man smiled back and nodded, moving back toward the kitchen.  “So, chocolate cake.  That’s gonna be, what, an extra two miles and three sets of crunches?”

 

“An hour of physical exertion.  Any kind, really.  Running isn’t the _only_ way to burn calories, Annie.”  Her blush flared again.

 

It was another hour before they left the restaurant, still smiling, their waiter discretely wishing them a good night.  They took their time on the way back to their rooms, a lazy contentment slowing their pace.  Annie leaned against him, his arm winding around her shoulders.

 

“This was better than most dates I’ve been on.”  She quirked an eyebrow in disbelief at his words.  “What?  I had good wine, good food, good company.”  He planted a kiss against her hair.

 

“Hmm.  I paid on my last three dates.  I don’t just mean for myself.  I mean, for the whole date.”  She turned to look at him, gauging his reaction and Jeff made a well-deserved and appropriately disgusted face.  “Yeah, I know!”  Bolstered by his response, her exclamation was enthusiastic.  They reached the door and entered the quiet room.  “So…  I guess this is goodnight?”  She looked almost shy as she asked.

 

“Guess so.  Goodnight, Annie.”  He threw her a half-smile and moved through the door to his room, closing it softly behind him.  He stopped and leaned against it, heart thudding.  Had that been a date?  They’d dressed up a bit, gone to dinner in a fancy restaurant, shared a meal, he’d walked her to the door…

 

Fifteen minutes later, Jeff stood in front of the door to Annie’s room, a bottle of scotch in hand, and knocked.

 

* * *

 

 

Just to thwart busycybering because I am a big ol’ meanie:

 

Jeff held his breath in anticipation, stomach fluttering wildly. He heard a faint 'come in' and turned the doorknob, feeling it give under the pressure. He stepped into Annie's room and stopped short as Annie looked up at him with a distracted smile, her attention devoted to the phone pressed to her ear and the person on the other end.

 

"Uh huh. Yeah, that sounds great, Rich, I would love to take you up on that. Anytime next week should be good for me... Just let me know what works with your schedule, okay? Great, I look forward to getting together with you..." She laughed delicately in response to something he said and continued. "Alright, well, it was good to hear from you, Rich. Really. I'm so glad you thought of me... Okay, you too, take care.”  She pressed a button on the phone, ending the call, and dropped it on the bed beside her, looking up at Jeff. H

 

Her expression indicated how overwhelmed she was and Jeff forced himself to swallow despite his dry throat and breathe deeply. Now obviously wasn't the time for sharing.


	20. Introduction to Early Stages of Courtship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Jeff and/or Annie not realizing they are on a date..

It starts that morning.  They happen upon each other at the park on the wooded paths away from the happy shrieks of toddlers and their parents chasing them.  They’re both out running and since it's a beautiful Saturday morning, bright and cool with the promise of a sunny, warm day ahead, they decide to run together.  Afterward, they're doing their cool down and Jeff suggests they grab brunch, after they've both had a chance to clean up.  Annie thinks about her apartment, quiet thanks to Troy and Abed's absence, and her fridge, empty except for a half-finished package of frozen Eggo Waffles and agrees without hesitation.  Jeff offers to pick her up in an hour and she accepts and with that, they say their goodbyes, both homeward bound.

 

She's a little surprised that he comes to the door instead of just texting her but she appreciates the gesture because two years later, and she still has random flashbacks to Spaghetti.  She's wearing a strapless sundress, all the better to take advantage of the early summer sunshine, and it's a cute coincidence that they match.  They make their way to a little cafe that's at the half-way point between their apartments, arms brushing casually as they enter.  The place is cozy and lovely and small, a gem that everyone in the neighbourhood knows about.  They're seated quickly because they've just barely managed to beat the weekend rush.

 

Annie orders the maple pecan waffles with a side of fruit already knowing that Jeff is going to eat all of her blueberries and he orders the spinach and feta egg white omelette and a chai latte because he knows it comes with a free fancy coffee and that's Annie's favourite.  It's an easy meal, the conversation flowing and their spirits high.  Jeff pays the bill, ignoring Annie's pout, and they head out, not quite ready to part ways.

 

"Did you have anything planned today?"  She cocks her head, thinking.

 

"Not really, no.  But there's an artisan fair down on Main.  I was planning to head there and then to the farmer's market, since we're low on...  Everything."  Jeff nods and offers his arm.  She raises an eyebrow and he returns her gaze unflinchingly.

 

"Milady?"  She sighs, unable to keep the smile from her face.

 

"Milord."  She takes his arm and they stroll the few blocks to Main, the artisan fair clearly in full throttle.  They spend an hour or two wandering the stalls and booths, picking out things for Britta and Shirley, and pointing out a weird imported Norwegian troll that gives them both the shivers.  It's approaching 12:30 by the time they hit the farmer's market and it only makes sense to grab lunch too.  They keep it light, still content from brunch, and walk around with fresh gelato, while Jeff is relegated to carrying all of their purchases, only about half of which are Annie’s, as she looks over the produce on display.

 

It's almost 4PM by the time they call it a day, heading back to Annie's apartment.  Jeff hangs around, relaxing after a day out and about wandering in the blazing sun.  Annie apologizes for keeping him all day and making him into her packmule but he waves it off.  Nonetheless, she explains, it's only fair, after he paid for brunch and lunch that he let her make him dinner.  He offers up some token protests before agreeing and it’s settled because his apartment is empty too it’s as good an excuse as any to avoid going home to the quiet.

 

Annie pulls together everything she needs for a salad and starts chopping.  She leaves the cherry tomatoes whole, but the yellow peppers are sliced as are the cucumbers and carrots, circular disks of colour filling the bowl.  She toasts some almonds and tosses those in too before tackling the dressing.  Jeff leans against the counter and watches her move, confident and graceful, and realizes he’s never had the opportunity to just watch Annie move.  Or he’s never taken it.  Either way, he adds it to his list of regrets.

 

Here, she’s in control and mature and competent and graceful.  The realization that _this_ Annie isn’t a new or different person from the Annie he used to see everyday at school comes as a bit of a shock.  But the more he thinks about it, about why he never saw it before, the more he understands that she hasn’t changed – he has.

 

“Jeff?”  She nudges him gently and he straightens with a start.

 

“Yeah, sorry…”  She waves off his apology.

 

“Everyone zones out sometimes.  It’s not like I was rambling about anything important, but,”  She hoists the bowl she’s carrying a little higher.  “The salad is done and the chicken is in the oven.  It’ll be ready shortly so I thought we could get started?”  He nods in agreement and moves to take the bowl from her hand.  She lets him, grabbing two beers from the fridge.

 

It’s as he clinks his bottle against hers that Jeff has another revelation: Annie’s an adult and he spent the entire day with her and enjoyed it and she’s beautiful and…  He has absolutely no reason not to ask her out.


	21. Introduction to Coping, Complications & Long-Term Grief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "...a quote from the Alexi Murdoch song Orange Sky: 'My salvation lies in your love.'"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Potential character death (implied).
> 
> So this was a bit darker than my usual because I wanted to try writing angst. I listened to the Alexei Murdoch song in question repeatedly as I wrote it. You can find it on YouTube, if you want the ambiance.

He stands there, unable to look away, eyes locked on her unmoving form.  His ability to function is severely impaired by exhaustion, and fear, and anger, and this overwhelming sense of _pain_.  He feels like he's been drowning slowly for hours.  Every time he breaks the surface, he’s pushed beneath the crashing tides, another tidal wave of grief forcing him under.  As long as she’s not responding, there’s no salvation coming down the line.

 

\----

 

He was at work, in the middle of reading the latest casefile to hit his desk, when he got the call.  He answered his phone distractedly.  The conversation is pretty one-sided and lasts all of six minutes but the next few?  They’re a blur of action and Jeff doesn’t remember a single second of it.

 

All he knows is that he made his way to the hospital in record time, parked haphazardly, and made it to the ER in one piece, barely.  At some point, he called Shirley who informed Troy who informed Abed who informed Britta.  He only knows this happened because two hours later, he looks around the waiting room, and realizes that they’re all _there_ and he has no idea when that happened.

 

It occurs to him later, in a rare moment of clarity, that he should call Pierce so he does.  He’s mostly glad he catches his voicemail.

 

\----

 

It’s been three days and he’s on compassion leave from work.  There are benefits, he discovers, to being a public servant.  Decent pension and fighting on the side of angels aside, they offer things like compassionate leave instead of saying, ‘sorry you’re going through shit, but if you want to make partner, deal with it on your own fucking time’ which he knows was the policy at his old firm because he heard Alan actually say that to Thompson.

 

He would give those benefits up in a millisecond if it meant that Annie would wake up.

 

\----

 

It’s been four months and he’s back at work but there’s something in him that’s thisclose to being irrevocably broken.  Annie’s not responding to treatment and his world has continued to spin but his heart has mostly withered.  It makes him think of winter and how everything looks pretty but dead.  The glimmer of fresh snow adds a cold beauty to an otherwise barren landscape in those frozen months.  Until Jeff has Annie back, until he can bask in the sunshine of her love, he’s checked out, waiting for time to pass and the seasons to change.

 

The rest of the group doesn’t seem to get it, not really, except maybe Abed.  At least, not until he ends up yelling at Britta.  It’s an ugly scene in which Jeff manages to make telling them he loves them into something sick.  Because he loves Annie _more_ and _differently_ and _better_ than he loves them, than they love her and _their love can’t save him._

 

It’s ugly and there’s no picturesque snow coat to cover the desolation and lifelessness left afterward.


	22. Perilous Pathways to Personal Enlightenment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "The heart wants what the heart wants."

He tells them on a Friday night.

 

It's the first time in three weeks that they've all managed to clear a time and place to hang out so he waits until everyone is eating and drinking and has been lulled by the comforting sense of camaraderie filling the room to mention it.  He swears to himself up and down that the timing is incidental and he wasn't intentionally waiting until they were all just a little more complacent and happy but he knows he's lying to himself.  In the moments before he takes a deep breath and opens his mouth to speak, he admits to himself that he's scared of how they'll react.  And specifically, he's terrified at how _she'll_ react.  But then he's said the words and it's too late to take them back.

 

"Next time you guys are free, I want to introduce you to someone...  A woman that I've been seeing."  There are casual smiles all around the table at first and then Jeff's words sink in and it's like watching dominoes fall, how their faces change, one by one.

 

"Oh, well, that's...  Nice."  However, it's only Shirley that's brave enough to lie to his face.

 

\----

 

He's not really surprised that it takes them almost five weeks to find another time to meet up.  There are seven (eight if you count his date) schedules to coordinate and it's hard, you know?  But he can't help but feel that there's some invisible line that's been drawn and they're all on...  The other side of it.  He pretends he doesn't know why before he finally heaves a mental sigh and jots down one _more_ thing to talk to his therapist about on the list he keeps in his head.

 

\----

 

They meet her on a Wednesday.  It's at Denny's because after his botched celebratory graduation dinner, Senor Kevin's is officially on his blacklist and the group can't agree on any other location.  They all pile into a booth and he knows with every fibre of his being that the way they all scurried to the table wasn't coordinated but the way he and Kate are both left to pull up chairs is sure as hell purposeful and meaningful.  He ignores it, though, because if he doesn't it'll become awkward and then he'll have to explain to Kate and that's just not something he wants to do.

 

It's silent as they all take the time to peruse their menus but it goes on a shade too long to be normal.  Jeff furtively eyes each one of them in turn but it's clear that nobody wants to be the one to break the weird extended silence that's going on so it's left to him.  He tries to think of a neutral topic that won't set any of the usual group dramatics off and comes up blank because holy hell, this group is a powder keg and he's just now realizing it when he has to take into account someone who's a stranger to the group's dynamics.  He clears his throat, ignores the water that Abed pushes his way, and wades in because what else is he supposed to do?

 

"Does anyone actually eat the whole lumberjack breakfast, you think?"  He shakes his head at his own inane question but seriously, what the fuck else is he _supposed to do?_

 

“Pathetic!”  Pierce practically squawks the word and Jeff is forced to bite his tongue because for once, Pierce is right.

 

\----

He calls Annie the next day. He’s not sure if it’s to apologize or to explain but he does it anyway before he can second-guess himself. He’s not really prepared for the level of surprise she expresses.   
  
“You didn’t have to call, Jeff. I get why you thought it might be weird but you can do whatever you want to do. We’re not together and we never have been.”  Her voice is warm and relaxed and maybe even a little pleased that Jeff is compassionate enough to ring her up and check on her of his own volition.  There’s no hidden malice in her words, no pointed remarks about his ego in expecting her to be crying over him…  It’s a pleasant, if unexpected, turn of events, right?  
  
Instead, her words  _hurt_. He’s not sure why that is exactly although he could maybe guess.  But he ends up drowning his inexplicable sorrows in scotch because sometimes that’s easier than copping to something he’d rather avoid.

\----

He takes Kate to dinner on Saturday and they have a good meal, share some expensive wine.  It’s a really good date, to be honest.  The conversation flows and she looks phenomenal and he’s perfectly witty and his hair is having its finest day since that time in 2007 when he woke up with the perfect bedhead.  Really, this is everything he could possibly hope to want in a fourth (or is it fifth?) date.

 

Kate comments lightly on his friends being an interesting bunch, her smile is warm and open, and he smiles back, agreeing that they take a bit of getting used to but he promises they’ll grow on her whether she wants them to or not.  She laughs and says she hopes they get the chance, her fingers gently tapping at his.

 

An hour later, as they’re leaving the restaurant, she leans up and presses a kiss against his lips and invites him back to her place.  He begs off, asking for a rain cheque because he has a bit of a headache starting from the wine or a migraine is coming on due to the weather, something like that.  He’s not really lying, there’s a stabbing pain behind his left eye and while he’s awesome, even he can’t promise a good time if it feels like his head is going to explode.

 

\----

 

The next group outing doesn’t take over a month to plan.  They manage to meet up for Sunday brunch ten days later and the group is considerably more casual, friendly and lively and all those positive things he’d been hoping for during their first meeting with Kate.

 

She smiles and laughs and banters and looks pretty in her jeans and voluminous sweater-shirt.  Troy seems incapable of _not_ smiling back and okay, Abed appears unimpressed but Jeff didn’t really expect to win him over right away anyway. 

 

Britta makes small talk about the animal shelter she volunteers at and suddenly, an involved discussion about cat behaviour is taking place that makes Jeff look at the two of them askance.  Pierce interjects to make a joke about how to properly pet a pussy and Annie turns briefly from her conversation to scold and chastise him.  Britta shakes her head in exasperation but the incident otherwise passes without comment and Jeff feels a faint glimmer of hope that maybe this will work out okay.

 

Because he actually, genuinely, sincerely likes Kate.  There are no games like there was with Slater, no secrets and sense of self-sabotage as with Britta, and there are no seemingly insurmountable obstacles like with…  Anyone else. 

 

Shirley breaks his train of thought when she asks him a question and times marches on.

 

\----

 

A week later and they’re doing a movie marathon at Case Trobed (+ Annie) and Jeff ends up getting up to grab a drink while Annie is refreshing the snacks.  He stands awkwardly at the fridge, staring into its depths for much longer than strictly required, when Annie nudges him.

 

“I hate to interrupt your deep philosophical contemplation of the contents of our fridge but I need to grab the salsa.”  She’s teasing him and he’s suddenly feeling just a little suffocated as he stares at her unmoving.  “Uh, Jeff, I was just teasing but I do really need to grab the salsa.”  He nods at her and moves back and she squeezes past him to grab one or two things before she pats him on the arm. 

 

“If you were looking for that imported beer you like, we didn’t get it this time – it was between that or fresh veggies and I threatened Abed and Troy to get my way.”  Her smile is tentative this time, as she takes in his somber face.  “Sorry.”  It’s offered up questioningly and he finally forces a smile and shrugs off her apology.

 

“Don’t worry about it, Annie.  It’s not your problem.”  He fears truer words have never been spoken.

 

\----

  
He wakes up with a hangover and a voicemail.

 

He listens to it on his way to work and by the time he’s on the freeway, he discovers he’s single once more.  They weren’t officially exclusive but they had both said they weren’t other people.  He’d gone out for drinks with her friends the other night and the fact that she’d met his was the catalyst for this whole mess.

 

He’s not particularly shocked but he takes a second to wonder if he drunkenly called her and left some kind of incriminating voicemail or if her reasoning is based on the aborted glances and the barely checked smiles he’d been sending Annie _all the fucking time_ in retrospect.  Oddly enough, Annie has rarely looked his way the last couple of months but it had made him all the more determined to catch her eye.  Clearly, Jeff reflects, sarcastic even in his head, subtly is his most vaunted skill.

 

According to Kate, the heart wants what the heart wants. They’ve only been ‘together’ for two and a half months so she’s not devastated to hear that his heart wants Annie but maybe, the tinny recording says, he should do something about that instead of wasting other people’s valuable time.

 

Jeff decides that maybe she has a point and resolves to take her advice. 


	23. Introduction to Kentucky Hospitality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Jeff and Annie on a double-date with any couple from another one of your favourite shows."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS: Season four of Justified is referenced herein.

Annie didn’t want to be here but she had made a commitment and if there was one thing Annie was good at, it was keeping her promises.  So she was here, just as she had told Winona she would be.  But she was uncomfortable because Jeff was visiting and what was the dynamic going to be?  He’d never met these people!  She had only just met Winona herself!  Nevermind how complicated both of their relationships were…  It wasn’t a date _date_ but it was kind of a date, right?

 

When she’d called Winona to let her know, the older woman had reassured her that a second buffer would be great and then sighed and admitted that ‘Raylan doesn’t do so great at playing nice sometimes so just warn your boyfriend, okay?  Because Raylan can be charming as all hell, Annie, but the man is trouble.  And a jerk.’  Annie had nodded along mindlessly.  Moments later, unable to help herself, she blurted out that Jeff wasn’t her boyfriend and followed up the unwilling confession with a groan.

 

“Oh, sweetie, it’s like that, huh?”  The sympathy had been a balm for Annie.

 

“Yeah…  We’re…  I don’t know.” 

 

“Hey, look, I’m the last person to judge!”  Winona had let out a laugh that didn’t sound particularly laugh-y.  “But you be my buffer and I’ll be yours, okay?”  Annie had taken a deep breath, agreed, and with that, the schedule for the non-date date with two men who were nothing but trouble and charm was set.

 

\----

 

Annie had a student placement in Lexington, Kentucky and met Winona at the courthouse on a warm summer day as she waited to watch her supervisor testify as an expert witness.  The two had started chatting; Annie understood all about making mistakes and Winona, pregnant and alone, had wanted someone to trust.  They’d made quite a pair but it was nice to have someone unrelated to her past to confide in and Winona seemed to feel the same.  And lo, a friendship was born.

 

\----

 

“Ma’am.”  He shook her hand and tipped his hat, towering over her, as he waited for her to be seated.  Annie desperately tried not to be charmed but as she met Winona’s hesitant gaze, she conceded that it was a lost cause.

 

“Hi, it’s lovely to meet you.”  She took in his chagrined smile and added, as sincerely as she could, “It really is, Raylan.”

 

“Oh, I bet it is.  A face to go with the stories of all of my wrongdoin’?  Who could resist?”  It was said jokingly but Annie frowned slightly at the undercurrent of equal parts suspicion and self-loathing while he threw a loaded glance at Winona.

 

“Winona’s been so complimentary.  And she swore up and down that you were a real gentleman.”  She glanced at Jeff out of the corner of her eye.  “And I love the hat.”  That got a smile out of Raylan.

 

“Well, thank you kindly.”  As if he was seeing him for the first time, he turned to Jeff and stretched a hand out.  “I’m Raylan Givens, Winona’s…”  He looked at the woman in question again before shrugging.  “I’m her baby daddy.” 

 

“Jeff Winger, a, uh…  Friend of Annie’s.”  He grasped the other man’s hand firmly and they shook even as Raylan’s eyebrow rose at his description.

 

“Friend, huh?  We ever called ourselves that, Winona?”  She closed her eyes briefly then shook her head in exasperation.

 

“No, Raylan, we haven’t ‘cause we’ve never been friends.”  She looked at Jeff, almost but not quite apologetic.  “It’s nice to meet you, Jeff.  Annie’s been such a sweetheart since I met her, I can’t imagine how lucky you are to have her full-time back in Colorado.” 

 

“We are lucky.”  He took a quick glance at the woman beside him before meeting Winona’s gaze.  “And we know it.  We’re not letting you keep her.”  He finished it with a smile and Winona nodded back, a tight smile gracing her features.  Annie mercilessly stifled the tiny sprig of hopefulness that sprouted at Jeff’s words.  She refused to be drawn back into that complicated and painful mess of feelings and crossed wires that were Jeff Winger’s affections.

 

“Now that you’ve staked your claim, how about we eat?”  The side of Jeff’s mouth quirked at Raylan’s words but despite the amusement, he felt no guilt as he watched Winona dig her elbow into his side.

 

“Quit being a jerk, Raylan.  This is exactly why we’re not friends.”  Jeff and Annie watched as Raylan’s face took on a skeptical expression.

 

“He’s not even offended!”  He gestured to Jeff, eyes still trained on Winona.  “And I thought we weren’t friends because we always end up in bed together?”  Annie was impressed at Winona’s restrained reaction which was largely limited to a disbelieving expression and a dismissive hand gesture.

 

“Oh, please, Raylan, you end up in bed with everyone.  We aren’t friends because you’re a jerk.”  Annie steeled herself to intervene.  She wasn’t doing much in her role as a buffer and she might as well earn her title somehow.

 

“It’s amazing how civil you can be.  When he was sleeping with one of our friends,” Annie gestured to Jeff casually.  “They still quibbled like toddlers.”  Winona groaned.

 

“Really?  Honestly, we do the same thing sometimes.  Tried being married, didn’t work.  Tried dating, _that_ didn’t work.  The baby was,” She looked down at her swelled tummy.  “An accident.  But we’ll see how it goes.”  She shot a warning glare at Raylan.  “He’s on thin ice.”  Raylan held up his palms in defense.

 

“Me?  I’m not doin’ anything.”  He waited until Winona sighed and lowered his hands, a smile spreading across his face.  “So, Jeff, what do you do back in Colorado?”

 

Annie met Winona’s eyes and sighed.  This was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I don't even like Winona all that much (though she finally became tolerable/likeable) in season four. I prefer Ava/Raylan (though I enjoy Ava/Boyd) but I can't see them working at this point so I went with the logical choice - Winona/Raylan.


	24. Contemporary Pop Psychology 400

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: "Jeff and Annie on a double-date with any couple from another one of your favourite shows."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER WARNING: Arrested Development's fourth season is referenced herein.

They bump into each other while grabbing coffee and the conversation flows easily while they're in line.  Easily enough that it doesn't seem unusual when meeting for dinner with their respective boyfriends is suggested.  It's not difficult to agree because Annie doesn't know this town but she recognizes the name of the exclusive place that, given Jeff's expensive tastes, would go over well.  It may not be ‘fun’ to have dinner with strangers and maybe he's not her boyfriend but those are immaterial details in light of the opportunity for adventure and a wonderful meal.

 

6PM at The Ealing Club, Ann says.  6PM at The Ealing Club, Annie parrots back.

 

\----

 

He's wearing an expensive suit and Annie discreetly pats her unexpectedly hot cheeks because the man cuts a fine figure in well-tailored Armani, he really does.  Annie is wearing a midnight blue dress and classic pearls and four-inch peep-toes that cost two weeks rent.  It's a mature look and hopefully it flies because Ann is conservative and quiet and maybe a little boring but she's likeable and hasn't tried to baptise her once so Annie doesn't mind one bit.

 

She spots the blonde standing next to a man just as tall as Jeff and there's anticipation building because even from the back, that man does _not_ look like he's 18.  Every possible suspicion is confirmed a second later when the couple turns around to greet them, the tall man, GOB she finds out, wearing a too-wide smile and in possession of manic-eyes.  His smile lasts even as he gives Annie a once over, then a second and third look, as he loosely hangs an arm around Ann, as he stares at Jeff assessingly, taking in the sharp suit, and as they approach the desk.

 

Annie and Jeff share a look and it's all that's needed to communicate their sudden hesitation.

 

\----

 

The dinner is nowhere near as bad as feared but that’s mostly because they both realize about ten minutes in that they’re dealing with cartoon characters.  GOB is attractive and privileged and all the things Britta rants against but he’s _such_ a buffoon that Annie can’t find it in herself to be angry at him.  It’s a little like what she imagines having dinner with Ryan Lochte would be like except that GOB appears to be singularly untalented.

 

“You’re engaged?  Congratulations!”  The good wishes are genuine but logic dictates that this is a nonsensical pairing.  At the very least, Annie can’t see what’s keeping them together.  GOB continuously uses Ann’s name in the middle of words, at one point referring to his fiancée as an ‘Annnnndwich’, and Annie’s confusion only grows.

 

“Thank you!  We’re getting married next week.”  Ann’s enthusiasm is clearly catching.  Her announcement causes GOB to cheer and down his glass of scotch.  He sputters and coughs but recovers a moment later, enough to speak anyway.

 

“Yep.  Next week.  Right after I perform an incredible new illusion.”  He reads their expressions as mild interest, when it’s really more like bemusement, and offers a modest explanation.  “I’m a famous magician.”

 

They smile and nod.


	25. Milestone Birthdays, A Primer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my eighteenth battle: "... to youuuuu! Someone in the study group is celebrating their birthday. It doesn't go according to plan."

Britta turns 35 and it’s a big deal. 

 

Not because of Britta.  No, not at all!  Rather, it’s Jeff and Annie’s debut as a real, functional adult couple.  Which is a big deal.  So, by extension, Britta’ birthday is a big deal.  But not because it’s _Britta’s_ birthday.

 

Britta’s loud protests are mostly ignored.  Shirley, at least, pats her arm consolingly.

 

In an effort to make Britta feel a tad more appreciated, and _only_ a tad Pierce yells via video-chat, they gather at her favourite restaurant.  At 6:15, twenty minutes after the decided meeting time, Jeff and Annie stroll in.  Well, Jeff strolls while Annie hurries, apologies already falling from her lips.

 

“I’m so sorry, Britta!  But it’s all his fault!”  She points accusingly at Jeff who pretends to look offended until he loses interest, shrugging and pulling out a chair for Annie instead.  “He insisted on being fashionably late and he started doing his hair way off schedule!  Since he was driving, I couldn’t leave without him, and-“ It is, in fact, exactly like when they weren’t together.

 

“I thought you guys would be more interesting.”  The stream of words spilling from Annie’s lips stop abruptly and she stares at Abed, stricken.  She doesn’t ask a question but he figures she wants an explanation so he continues. 

 

“You took seven years to start dating.  I understand the first two,” Abed cocks his head thoughtfully, “okay, the first three, but what was the hold up after that?”  He stares at Annie who stares back, uncomfortable.  Abed’s appraising gaze drifts slowly in Jeff’s direction.  The rest of the study group, in unison, follows suit seconds later.

 

“What?”  Jeff fingers still against his phone as he looks up to find six people staring at him.  “Clearly, you all want some answers.  But I don’t have any, mostly because I wasn’t paying attention, but I can offer you the next best thing; Britta, get the vegetarian lasagna because, seriously, you need the iron; Troy, pizza; Abed, please, do us all a favour and order the buttered noodles; Shirley-“  He saw the forbidding look on her face and coughed.  “You’re an adult, order whatever you want.  Annie?”  He eyed her assessingly.  “I’d say go with the mushroom risotto.”  He threw in a wink, attention wandering back to his phone.

 

“They’ve got pizza?  Huzzah!”  A single fist pump later, Troy catches Britta’s judgey stare and shifts back into glaring at Jeff.

 

It’s Annie who gives up the staring contest with the inattentive Jeff first.

 

She clears her throat, getting the group’s attention, and peruses the menu exaggeratedly.  This isn’t the time for deep discussions of relationships, her tense posture says.  It takes a few minutes but eventually, they fall in line, menus in hand.

 

“Man, I’m glad it’s not _my_ birthday!”  The loud declaration comes from a table across the way but it gets everyone’s attention.  Only Jeff responds, though.

 

“Shut up, Leonard, everyone knows you’ve been 72 for six years!”


	26. Milestone Birthdays, Additional Materials

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my eighteenth battle: "... to youuuuu! Someone in the study group is celebrating their birthday. It doesn't go according to plan."

Her birthday falls in that precarious place between Christmas and New Years.  In years past, it hadn’t mattered much because her mother celebrated Hanukkah with more enthusiasm than her father had celebrated Christmas.  And she hadn’t had any friends to bother with anyway.

 

This year, it’s a milestone birthday _and_ she has friends.  According to the group, 25 is a big one!  Plans had been made, gifts purchased, a birthday girl unenthusiastically committed.

 

Until it all fell apart.

 

One by one, the excuses roll in.  Andre’s evil mother refuses to let Shirley host Christmas this year so they have to make the trek, two towns over, for the festivities and they won’t be back in time. Annie nods and smiles and isn’t surprised – Shirley has a family and obligations and Annie can only wish her parents had cared that much when she was a kid.

 

_“Oh, Annie, honey, I’m so sorry!  That…  Witch won’t let me have Christmas.  Something about that Thanksgiving in 2013?  Who can remember that far back?  Evil old crones, that’s who!”_

_“Really, Shirley, don’t worry.  Ben is still so young, he deserves to have this.  Go, try to have fun?”_

_“I’ll try but I’m going to end up spending the whole time wishing I was here celebrating with you!”_

 

Then Abed finds out his grandmother is sick.  His father has to leave immediately and that means that Abed is running the falafel shop in his absence.  He apologizes to Annie who frets enough for the both of them.  She hugs him and reassures him and hugs him again while he pats her back, consoling _her_.  Abed promises he’ll make her a special birthday falafel and that’s another one down.

 

_“Yeah, it sounds pretty bad.  I’ve only met her a few times but she was nice.”_

_“Abed, I’m so sorry to hear that!  I hope she’s okay.  You do what you have to do, family is way more important that some measly birthday.  Is there anything we can do?”_

_“No, she’s back home and I don’t think they’d let a care package through AirMail.  But thanks, Annie.  I’ll make a special falafel just for your birthday, on the house.”_

 

Troy pouts as he tells her that his dad is taking the family on an out-of-town trip to go skiing in Vail.  He doesn’t want to go but his dad is trying to force the kids to bond with his girlfriend in case she ends up their stepmom in the coming months.  He gags as he finishes relating the story and Annie rubs his back and promises to never date his dad.

 

_“She’s 28 and she might be my stepmom, Annie!  28!”_

_“I know, Troy, you’ve told me.”_

_“I don’t want to go but Dad has a lot of embarrassing pictures of me.  I was 12 and I had just discovered butt stuff…”_

_“Yeah…  So, I promise I’ll never date your dad if you don’t tell me anything more, okay?”_

 

Britta waits until just a week before to cancel.  She apologizes profusely and swears up and down that she didn’t want to do this to Annie but the animals, the animals!  They needed her.  Annie knows Britta’s a soft touch and was probably suckered into the extra shifts by someone else who wanted the holidays free so she shakes her head and waves away the excuses as unnecessary.

 

_“But really, Annie, I am so unbelievably sorry.  But I couldn’t say no!  I mean, Ansel and Meredith and Harriet respond really well to me and there’s only a skeleton staff around during the holidays and everyone kept backing out-“_

_“Forget about it, Britta, it’s not a big deal.  I didn’t even want to celebrate!”_

 

Annie figures the one upside is that _she_ gets to call _Jeff_ and cancel.

 

It doesn’t quite work out that way.  Instead, Jeff shows up at her apartment on the date in question.

 

_“Get dressed.”_

_“What?  Jeff.  You can’t just barge in and tell me what to do!”  He frowned at her response._

_“Go get dressed, Annie.  It’s your 25 th birthday and I’m taking you out.  It doesn’t have to be a big deal with party hats and streamers but we’re going out.”  He pushed her gently into her room.  “Wear something nice!”  His last bit of direction was muffled through the closed door but Annie understood._

 

When Abed brings home Annie’s special birthday falafel just before midnight, the woman in question is nowhere to be found.  Miles away, clad only in her birthday suit, Annie decides that this was her best birthday yet.


	27. Advanced Intermediate Guide to Scholastic Fraternization 302

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my nineteenth battle: "So, if we sometimes fight, doesn't mean we've got problems" from the song "Serious" by Duran Duran."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what this story was about or what motivated me to write it except maybe exhaustion and a deadline? I don't hate it but I can't say, in re-reading, that it makes sense to me. ... Sorry?

“Why did you even come, then?  If you’re just going to be a jerk, what was the point?”

 

“What?  How am _I_ being a jerk?  I took time out of my day to come support you and somehow I’m the asshole?  Do you want me to wait while you dig that hole a little deeper or are you taking a break for now?”

 

“Uhn!”  Despite the loud noise of protest, her glare didn’t waver.  “I didn’t ask you to be here, Jeff, so don’t put this on me!  I have class, I can’t deal with this right now.”  She threw him one final angry sniff and stormed off.

 

Jeff attempted to ignore the not-so-subtle throat clearing on his periphery but when it was followed up with a loud-pretending-to-be-quiet ‘ahem’ he sighed and resigned himself to his fate, turning around to face his tormentor.

 

“You know, Jeffrey, I can’t help but notice there’s a bit of a rift there growing between you and Ms. Edison!  What’s that about?  Are you two,” and here his voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned in conspiratorially, “having problems?”  He patted Jeff’s pec gently.  “You can talk to me, you know.  We’re not dean and student anymore.  We’re,” he sighed, a dreamy expression crossing his face, “friends now.”

 

“Uh, yeah.  Thanks for that.”  He removed the offending hand with two fingers, dropping the limp wrist away from him.  “Annie and I are fine.  A fight does not a problem make.  We’re just…”  He exhaled heavily.  “Working some stuff out.”

 

“Well, if you ever need to blow off some steam, say physically or whatever, I’m you’re man.  I mean, I’m here for your use.”  He shook his head as if to dispel his muddled thoughts.  “You know.  I’m available to meet your needs.”  He smiled coyly as his words registered.  “Oh, you know what I mean!”    He slapped at Jeff’s chest, which quickly turned into a caress.  Jeff rolled his eyes and stepped back.

 

“I appreciate the offer, really, but I’ll pass.  In fact,” he checked his watch, a smile breaking across his face, “I am going to head to the cafeteria and text Annie into submission.”  He cleared his throat.  “I mean, I’ll badger her until she gives in.  I’ll even buy her an undeserved cookie, it might make the crow she’ll have to eat go down easier.”  Jeff looked up from his phone and grinned widely at Craig as he finished outlining his plan.  “I’ll see you later.”  He offered a short two-fingered wave and headed off, leaving Craig standing there, staring after him.

 

“So that plan backfired…  Maybe it was too subtle?  Yeah, probably too subtle.”  With one last longing sigh, the Dean leaned back to appreciate the fast fading view of Jeff Winger walking away in a tailored Armani suit.  


	28. Latchkey Kids in Literature and Film, A Retrospective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twentieth battle: "I would like to see Jeff and Annie's relationship/relationship status through the eyes of a child."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twentieth battle: "I would like to see Jeff and Annie's relationship/relationship status through the eyes of a child."

It started on a Sunday as it so often did.

 

He dawdled by the edge of the lawn, savouring the taste of freedom and enjoying the bright summer sunshine.  Knowing he would be scolded if he wasted much more time, he heaved a sigh and retrieved the mail.  He glanced around longingly one last time and stopped in his tracks as a petite woman across the street caught his attention.  She was pretty, the bright floral pattern she was sporting making her look cheery and friendly, as she performed the same task he did.  She happened to look up as he stood there, watching her, and offered a smile and wave.

 

Mickey decided then and there to keep an eye out for her.

 

\----

 

He spotted her again the very next day.  Her front door opened as she approached it, a giant standing in the frame and blocking her entrance.  The guy didn’t look particularly scary and considering the gross way he grabbed her around the waist and kissed her soundly, he guessed they were married.  Mickey made a face.  It reminded him of his own parents, back in the days before his brother was born, always cuddling and whatnot.

 

Of course, that made him think.  Place like this, couple like that…  Where were the kids?

 

\----

 

Mickey made his move on Thursday.  The plan had been fermenting in his head since he’d first spotted the lady on Sunday – by Tuesday, it had firmed up in his mind, and by Wednesday, he had put it into effect.  And today?  It was to be his crowning glory, his big play.

 

Today, Mickey was going to march across the street and meet the elusive Mr. Winger and Ms. Edison, the young(-ish) couple that had just moved in across the street.  Armed with a basketball and a plate of homemade cookies, he knocked on the door at 4:00, assured that at least one of them was home by the Lexus sitting in the driveway.  His gaze drifted to the ground, foot pawing restlessly at the welcome mat with the butterfly on it, as he waited.  He was taken by surprise when the door swung open to reveal a pair of jean-clad legs.  He looked up to confirm his suspicions.  Yep, that there was the giant he’d seen the day before.

 

“Mr. Winger?”  The man nodded, a hint of a smile on his face.  “I’m Mickey.”  Unsure what to do, he thrust the plate at him.  Mr. Winger took it and Mickey realized it freed up his hand to do the polite thing.  So he thrust his hand at him too.

 

“Uh, hi, Mickey.  I’m Jeff.”  Mr. Winger took the plate, followed by the hand, and stood there silently for a second.  “Is there something I can do for you?”  Mickey contemplated the question before deciding that honesty was probably the best choice.

 

“Your wife is really pretty.”  The hint of a smile bloomed into a full one and Mickey noted that he looked much less intimidating now.

 

“She is.”  His accompanying nod was solemn.

 

“Do you have any kids?”  Mr. Winger, Jeff, gave a slight shake of his head.

 

“Not yet.  But…”  He looked around.  “If I tell you something, think you can keep a lid on it?”  Mickey studied him suspiciously.  He wasn’t the sort that people usually confided in.  Fact was, more often than not, people tried to keep things _from_ him.  Still, a secret was too good to pass up so he nodded, hoping his eagerness was at least a little hidden.  “We’re going to have one pretty soon.  Another six months or so.”  Mickey’s eyes grew wide.  That _was_ big news.

 

“Holy cow.”

 

“Yep.”  Jeff seemed to be debating something but he must’ve come to some kind of conclusion because relaxed a minute later.  “Now that you’re in the know, maybe you want to come in and meet Annie?  She’d probably want to meet the guy I let in on the secret.  The place is a mess, but maybe we can share a cookie?”

 

“Really?”  Jeff nodded again.  “I have to ask my mom.”  He glanced over his shoulder at his house, debating how fast he could make it there and back.  “I’ll be back in five minutes.”  He shoved the basketball he was still holding into Jeff’s arms.  “Here.  I’ll run faster without it.”  He took off without another word.

 

\----

 

As it happened, that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this grand idea that the reader was supposed to think it was a guy interested in Annie but I realized while writing it that (in knowing the prompt) that "surprise" didn't work. So, darn. Anyway, I think this story still works without my not-so-clever twist.


	29. Marital Scams & Schemes 402

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-first battle: "Annie finds out that Jeff and Britta made a backup marriage pact."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of the hardest prompts so far. I ended up rewriting it slightly (the ending) to get it under 500 words, so there are two versions, both posted in this chapter.

He hadn’t thought about it since he’d made the agreement.  He doubted he would’ve remembered at all if he hadn’t been rifling through a drawer full of old junk one day and found the crumpled paper, hasty words scrawled over it, outlining the results of one of their stupid fights.  Jeff sighed as he unfolded it, a sense of distinct discomfort rising as he did so, and frowned as he read it over.  It wasn’t he considered iron-clad but it was a written contract all the same and, worse, it was with Britta.  Jeff knew he’d feel guilty screwing over Britta because really, he’d already done that enough.  35 was on the horizon for him and the agreement would take effect in 3 years or so, when Britta hit the same age.  He had a finite timeline.

 

So Jeff began to scheme.

 

\----

 

**Scheme #1**

 

He cornered Troy and casually mentioned Britta.  Over and over again.  Mentioned how much she loved Abed (true), her awesome listening skills (not untrue), how modest and gracious she was (small fibs), how wonderful a long-term, monogamous partner she would be (so maybe he was stretching the truth as far as it would reasonably go).  Jeff had thought he was subtle, given that Troy often required a jackhammer where anyone else need a gentle nudge. 

 

Apparently, describing Britta in-detail was not the way to make Troy realize he was in love with Britta.  It was, in fact, the way to make Troy think that _Jeff_ was in love with Britta.

 

On to the next plan.

 

\----

 

**Scheme #2**

 

He enlisted Abed because there was no finer puppet-master in existence.  At least, not when it came to their study group and Greendale.   He concealed his motivations but revealed the bulk of plans and goals.  Abed simply shook his head and Jeff described his prior failure with Troy.

 

“I’ve already run the scenarios, if that’s going to happen, it’ll have to happen on its own.”

 

“You ran the scenarios.”  Abed nodded.  “Why?”

 

“Because neither of them are happy now and Troy and Britta were happy together once.”  Jeff watched his friend closely, noting the subtle signs of irritation on Troy’s behalf.  “But the mission here is to make Britta happy, right?”  Abed didn’t wait for a response.  “Then here’s what we do: we track down Rick.”

 

That plan failed pretty quickly too.  Turned out, Subway knew how to bury their skeletons.  When Jeff found mayo on a sub he hadn’t ordered, he called it off.

 

\----

 

He hadn’t managed to get around to planning out scheme #3 when the group gathered for their annual Fourth of July barbecue but he figured he’d wing it because what was the point of his last name if he never used it for terrible puns?

 

Unfortunately, it all went to hell.

 

“Celebrating a ‘free’ country.  Ha!”  There was a round of groans.  “Oh, please, do you know that our president uses drone attacks and-“

 

“Britta, it is a national holiday and we just want to have fun.  Just for today, let it go.”  She huffed angrily but conceded that perhaps, just for today, she could put aside her moral outrage for Shirley’s sake.  “Thank you.”  It was because of her angry huffing, however, that she missed Shirley’s gleefully mischievous grin.  “Besides, aren’t you the one who told me that you and Jeff made a pact to get married at 35 if you were both still single?  Nut up and die alone!  Ha!  So much for being concerned with your freedom, hmm?”

 

The silence that reigned was epic.

 

“I’m dating someone!”  It took him a minute before he realized the overly-loud declaration had come from Annie.  Seven pairs of eyes focused on her and she squirmed slightly.  “Yeah, I…  Didn’t want to mention it before but it’s been a few weeks and, you know, with Jeff and Britta’s news, I don’t want them to think they’ll break up the group again.”  One breath and she had managed to exhale an entire explanation that left Jeff frantic to correct her inaccurate assumptions.

 

“We’re not getting married!”

 

“Hey!”  He whirled on Britta.

 

“Have we ever talked about that stupid agreement since we made it?”  She shook her head mutely.  “Have we slept together since our second year at Greendale?”  She responded in the negative again.  “Have either of us indicated interest in a relationship with each other recently?”  She opened her mouth as if to say something but seemed to think better of it and simply shook her head.  “Exactly.”  He looked around, his gaze finally settling on Annie, and continued.  “I’m not…  Opposed to marriage anymore but I’m not interested in getting married just for the sake of getting married.  You guys are the ones that taught me that _who_ you’re with matters more than not being alone.”

 

He looked around the group, making eye contact with each of them, and relaxed as he saw smiles and nods.

 

“Did you just come out?”

 

ALTERNATE CONCISE VERSION

 

He hadn’t thought about the agreement since he’d made it.  He doubted he would’ve remembered at all if he hadn’t been rifling through a drawer full of junk one day and found the crumpled paper, hasty words scrawled over it, outlining the results of one of their stupid fights.  It wasn’t what he considered iron-clad but it was a written contract all the same and, worse, it was with Britta.  35 was on the horizon for him and the agreement would take effect in 3 years or so, when Britta hit the same age.  He had a finite timeline to prevent this.

 

So Jeff began to scheme.

 

\----

 

_Scheme #1_

 

Apparently, describing Britta in-detail was not the way to make Troy realize he was in love with Britta.  It was, in fact, the way to make Troy think that _Jeff_ was in love with Britta.

 

\----

 

_Scheme #2_

 

He enlisted Abed because there was no finer puppet-master in existence.  He concealed his motivations but revealed the bulk of his plans and goals.  Abed simply shook his head and Jeff described his prior failure with Troy.

 

“I’ve already run the scenarios, if that’s going to happen, it’ll have to happen on its own.”

 

“You ran the scenarios.”  Abed nodded.  “Why?”

 

“Because neither is happy now but Troy and Britta were happy _together_ once.”  Jeff watched his friend closely.  “But the mission here is to make Britta happy, right?”  Abed didn’t wait for a response.  “Then here’s what we do: we track down Rick.”

 

That plan failed pretty quickly too.  Turned out, Subway knew how to bury their skeletons.  When Jeff found mayo on a sub he hadn’t ordered, he recognized the warning for what it was and called it off.

 

\----

 

He hadn’t managed to get around to planning out scheme #3 when the group gathered for their annual Fourth of July barbecue but he figured he’d wing it because what was the point of his last name if he never used it for terrible puns?

 

Unfortunately, it all went to hell.

 

“Celebrating a ‘free’ country.  Ha!”  There was a round of groans.  “Oh, please, do you know that our president uses drone attacks and-“

 

“Not today!”  Britta let out an offended squawk but fell silent at Shirley’s threatening glare.

 

“Hmph.”  The group’s attention drifted as conversation broke out.  Troy, sitting beside Britta, nudged her arm gently and cleared his throat, a weird smile emerging.

 

“Hey, so, are you and Jeff a thing now?  Because I talked to him and said it was okay with me.”  Troy’s words were quiet but Britta’s response was not.

 

“What the hell are you talking about?”

 

\----

 

“So, we made an agreement-“

 

“An agreement?  About what?”  Jeff winced at Annie’s question.

 

“Marrying at 35.”  Her reaction was…  To not react.

 

“What happened to ‘nut up and die alone’?”

 

“We were drunk, it was stupid and I’ve spent all week failing spectacularly at trying to stop it.”

 

“Maybe you shouldn’t have.”  Somehow, that was the worst response he could’ve imagined.


	30. Matrimonial Miscommunications 404

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-first battle: "Annie finds out that Jeff and Britta made a backup marriage pact."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was actually written as my third attempt but I never posted #2... I will likely post that next, however.

“He-“  He looked around, wide-eyed, at the décor and flowers adorning the yard.  “-ey…  What’s going on?”

 

“Oh, hey, Jeff!  Good, you’re dressed appropriately.  Stand here, please.”  Abed hustled him over to an archway lit up with tiny lights and wound with garlands of bright flowers, then stepped back to take in the scene.  “Yeah, that’ll do it.”  He stared at Jeff, face set.  “Stay.”

 

“Wait, Abed, what’s going on?”  Instead of answering, Abed held up a hand for silence and moved away to check a camera, completely ignoring Jeff.

 

“Don’t worry, Jeff, this is just a dress rehearsal.”  And then he was gone entirely.

 

\----

 

“Right through here, walk slowly, measured steps.  I like the fascinator.”

 

“Really?  Thanks, Annie helped me pick it out.”

 

“It looks good, very authentic.  I’ll just be through there, Britta, just come out when you’re ready.”

 

\----

 

“Abed!”  Annie’s whisper was quiet but urgent.  “Abed!”

 

“Annie, the guest of honour is about to enter, custom dictates we be quiet.”  Her silent gasp of offence wasn’t all that silent but Abed decided not to point that out.

 

“Abed, what are we doing here?  This looks like a wedding!”

 

“It is.”

 

“WHAT?”

 

\----

 

“So let me get this straight.”  Jeff loosened his tie agitatedly then cracked his knuckles.  “You lured me here based on the idea that we would be celebrating Annie’s graduation but actually, you set up a dress rehearsal for a wedding between myself and Britta.  Do I have that right?”  Abed considered his words, head cocked, then nodded.

 

“I didn’t really lure you here, though.”

 

“Shut up, Abed.”  He took a deep breath, expelled it, then spoke again.  “Why, Abed?  Britta and I haven’t…  Been anything but friends for over two years.”

 

“It’s a good series’ end, a certain symmetry.  And I wanted wacky wedding hijinks.  Seemed like a good opportunity.  Besides, you and Britta agreed to get married if you were both single by 35.  I figured this would be a good chance to practice before the real thing.”

“WHAT?”

 

\----

 

All the ‘guests’ had been sent home, leaving the group was gathered on the patio, appetizers and drinks spread out before them, in silence.  It didn’t feel like a comfortable silence and it made Abed itch.

 

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t think anyone would be upset, the wedding wasn’t real after all, and Jeff and Britta had made an agreement.  But I feel like I disturbed the delicate balance of our group’s social eco-system.”  Jeff gave a tired sigh and rubbed a hand over his face.

 

“Britta and I aren’t interested in each other in a romantic way, Abed.  We’ve been almost-fake married three times now and it’s never worked out for a reason, okay?  That agreement was made when we were drunk and, personally, feeling particularly shitty about the future.”

 

“Gee, thanks, Jeff.”  An eye roll was the only response Britta received.

 

“So…  Would it have been better if I’d had Annie as the bride?”

 

The dead silence that greeted him actually explained a lot.


	31. Marriage Contracts for Dimwits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-first battle: "Annie finds out that Jeff and Britta made a backup marriage pact."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was my second attempt at the prompt and I didn't end up posting it. I just finished it and I'm not pleased with the ending but, ah well. Up it goes!

“Britta, your bag is gross!”

 

“Who asked for your help anyway, Judge Judy?”

 

“You did!”  Annie’s response included rolling her eyes and it made me Britta squint thoughtfully.

 

“Oh.  I did.  Sorry.”  She stared into the depths of her bag, attempting to clear out the last vestiges of dirt and crumpled papers.  “What-“  She dug out a scrunched up wrapper and handed it to Annie, “was I keeping all of this stuff for?  Geez.”

 

“Uh, Britta?”  She hmmed mindlessly, still intent on rifling through the nooks and crannies of her purse.  “You…  You might want to keep this.”  She looked over at Annie, confusion apparent, to see her holding  the previously scrunched wrapper between her thumb and forefinger.

 

“What?  Does it have cooties?”  She paused.  “Wait, does it actually have cooties or, like, my STI test results on it?”  Annie stared at her, completely still, and Britta stared back, unsure if moving meant an increase in awkwardness.

 

“No-o-o…  It’s…  It’s an agreement of a personal nature.  Between you and Jeff.”  Britta’s forehead wrinkled, unsure what Annie meant.  “Here.  Just take it, it’s yours anyway.  I’m going to…  Go throw all of this stuff in the garbage.”  Annie picked up the plastic bag they’d been using as a makeshift garbage bin and left without a backward glance.  Shrugging, Britta read over the note and groaned.

 

\----

 

“Jeff!”  There was no response from the man sitting at the bar.  “Jeff!”  Britta was sure now that he was ignoring her.  “Winger!”  Huffing in irritation, she marched up to him and punched him.

 

“Ow!  Britta, what the hell?”  Sorry, Marc, a friend of mine just surprised me.  Yeah, that sounds great, we’ll talk Monday.  Okay, you have a goodnight too.  Thanks, bye.”  He turned a baleful eye on her.  “What is your problem?”

 

“I thought you were ignoring me!”

 

“How is that my fault?”  She stared at him, no explanation springing to the forefront of her mind.

 

“Shut up.  Here.”  She thrust the paper at him.  “Annie found this while helping me clean out my bag.”  He took the paper from her gingerly.

 

“You needed help cleaning out your bag?  It’s a bag.  Who needs help cleaning out a bag?”  He smirked at her condescendingly.  “Right, you do.”  She glared at him as he slowly read over the paper.  She thought it was rather magnanimous of her that she didn’t let any of her vindication show on her face as his paled beneath his summer tan.

 

“Yeah, bet you feel like an idiot now, huh?”  Just because her facial expression was restrained, it didn’t mean he didn’t deserve some grief.  He abruptly cleared his throat.

 

“So what if Annie saw this?”  She raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him.

 

“Seriously, Jeff?”  He shrugged lackadaisically but Britta didn’t find it particularly convincing.  “Okay, sure.  In that case, my work here is done.  I’ll see you at the altar in,” She checked the watch she wasn’t wearing, “three years.”  She spun on her heel and left, lamenting that her awesome exit was being wasted on the likes of a sober and, this time, relatively inoffensive Jeff.

 

\----

 

“So.”  Annie’s smile was bright and her tone peppy as she fished around for conversation but it all rang a little too false to Britta.  But maybe that was actually just the unbearable awkwardness that was colouring everything.  “Have you talked to Marc?”  The question was addressed to Jeff and Britta stayed silent despite her widened eyes as she recognized the name.

 

“I did, yeah.  He was great.  We met on Monday, and it…  I’m feeling good about it.”  Annie’s smile seemed a little more genuine now and Jeff’s own grin was wide and sincere as he made eye contact with her.  Britta drummed her fingers on her leg restlessly, feeling a little shut out, even if it was unintentional.

 

“Really?  I’m so happy for you, Jeff!”  He let out an amused huff of air at she bounced in her seat.

 

“Marc told me to thank you.”  She shook her head at his words, dismissing them.  “He’s right, though.  Not many firms would take a chance on a lawyer like me.  And he mentioned you might have a future in law too, given how convincing your arguments were and how charming your delivery.”  This time she blushed and Jeff’s smile grew wider.  Britta rolled her eyes at their not-so-subtle flirting.

 

It was probably a good time for them to confront the elephant in the room, now, while they were both relatively relaxed and had a professional on hand to help them work through the complicated feelings.  Britta contemplated how to bring it up casually without looking like she was fishing.  When she heard Jeff tell Annie that she should reconsider forensics for law, since third time was the charm, Britta decided to tactfully intervene.

 

“So, you two.”  Blank stares met her statement.  Britta shifted uncomfortably.  “What’s going on there?”  Jeff coughed roughly and Annie’s eyes widened past what Britta would consider a healthy or attractive size.

 

“Um, Britta.”  She met the brunette’s manic smile head-on.  “What are you talking about?”  The veiled message was really ‘why are you bringing it up, you fugly slut?’  Britta ignored the subtext.

 

“You’ve been acting weird ever since you found that stupid agreement Jeff and I made, which is, by the way, totally non-binding, thank the goddess – I looked it up – and Jeff sat at the bar not drinking, just brooding and sulking and brooding, after I told him.”  Britta took in the wary and flustered expressions they sported and sighed. 

 

“Look, I care about both of you, some more than others,” Here, she paused to glare at Jeff.  “But I do care.  And you guys have pushed me to my breaking point.”  She stood up dramatically, her chair skidding back loudly.  “So get together or quit being weird but do something about,” she waved her hand between the two, “ _this_ before it’s too late.”  She spun on her heel and walked away, a smile spreading across her face.  Sometimes, a real professional knew when to drop a truth-bomb and run like hell.  Spotting Troy and Abed, she made her way toward them then ushered them to the bar.  Tonight, Jeff would be covering their tab.


	32. Modern Applications of Ancient Latin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-second battle: "in vino veritas"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not horribly pleased by the ending but I didn't know how to end it so I just sort of... Stuck a pin in it. Um. Sorry.

"You should go be with her."  If she didn't know him better, she'd think there was no reaction to her words.  But after four years and counting, she recognizes the tensed shoulders, catches the lightning-quick flash of surprise, hears the near-imperceptible way he swallows roughly and she can just imagine how his heartbeat stutters before finally settling into its rhythm once his mind processes.  She stares at him silently, waiting, and he doesn't disappoint.  Oh no, he actually _confirms_ her thoughts instead.

 

"What the hell are you talking about?"  He throws in a gusty sigh as if that will throw her off the scent and she rolls her eyes.  Because, yeah, _that's_ going to convince her.

 

"Annie."  She refuses to let him play dumb tonight.  She's drunk and that means there's no reason to pull her punches because she's not having this conversation as a professional psych student.  She's having this conversation as a _friend_.  Which means she's also allowed to be a little mean because, well, it's Jeff.  "Duh doy."  It seems like the 'duh doy' throws him because he just sort of slumps and, if Britta was forced to describe it, deflates.

 

"She's moved on."  His gaze drifts past her to where Annie stands, watching Troy and Abed attempt to play pool.  Britta watches the scene, heart tightening slightly as she takes in Troy's smiling face.  It's his going away party tonight and she isn't quite as over him as she'd like to be, not yet.  But the UK is about to have a new royal baby and they wanted a perfectly temperate castle to raise their child in.  Normally, Britta would protest the kowtowing to rich people who serve as figureheads and retain power solely based on 'lineage' but she has a soft spot for Princess Di, so sue her.  She shakes herself out of her internal ramblings and focuses on Jeff with a sigh.

 

"She's moved on because you haven't made a move at all, stupid."  Jeff glares at her and Britta forces herself not to wilt.  Her wit falters after four dirty martinis, okay?  "Quit it.  You know I'm right.  Idiot."  She mutters the last part under her breath but means it all the same.

 

“Shut up.”  He glowers at her.  “You’re stupid.”  He seems to realize that sounds immature because he averts his eyes and takes a long sip of his scotch to cover it.  “I’m drunk.”

 

“So am I.  You should still go make a move on her.  She’s going to graduate soon.  And then, because it’s Annie, she’s going to take over the world.  Or help Abed do it.”  She waves her hand distractedly.  “Whatever, it’s all the same.  But seriously, Jeff.  Act like a fucking grown up.”  He stares at her hard despite his slightly unfocused eyes and Britta stares back as best she can when her mind is already wandering.

 

“What about you?”

 

“Me?”

 

“You.”  He confirms.

 

“I’m over you, you over-sized clump of hairgel.”  His hand flies to his hair but he stays surprisingly calm.  So he _is_ drunk, Britta marvels.  Sober Jeff can’t ignore knocks to his vanity.

 

“I meant, what about you?  And Troy?”  She wishes he’d left it alone but she’s drunk and honesty is unfortunately easy when she’s drunk.

 

“We had our chance.  He’s leaving  in two days.  What do you want me to do?”  Jeff shrugs at her.

 

“I don’t know.  Blow him in the bathroom so he doesn’t forget you?”  Britta rolls her eyes because Jeff is not only a pig but also unoriginal.

 

“Do you remember every woman that’s given you a bj in the bathroom?”  He ponders the question seriously for a minute before he shakes his head no.  “Then why would you think that would work?”

 

“Just seemed like it’d be a nice goodbye present.”  His eyes go glassy and Britta feels a second of guilt for foisting horny, gross Jeff on nice, kind Annie.  Then she remembers that the little pipsqueak mentioned her bra size in front of Troy last week and it erases any guilt.

 

“Then you do it.”  Britta declines to tell him that she’s been there, done that with Troy already anyway.  “Besides, if he doesn’t have better reasons to remember me, then it’s not worth it.”  Jeff’s eyes clear and he watches her shrewdly, or at least, shrewdly for a drunk dude.

 

“Then go say goodbye, with words, and tell him you love him anyway.”  She considers his suggestion.  She’s been trying to grow and have healthier relationships.  Jeff doesn’t seem like a good person to take advice from but she’s drunk, what does she know?

 

“I’ll do it if you do it.”  The words slip out before she can stop them but she finds she doesn’t mind.  If he chickens out, then he can’t get mad at her for doing the same.  Mutually assured destruction and all that.

 

“Okay.”  Jeff looks as surprised as she does when he agrees.  They stare at each other, discomfited but unmoving, before turning back to the bar.  Another scotch and dirty martini later, they head over to the pool table where Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach are still playing pool.  The three look up when they approach and if Jeff was less drunk, he's certain he'd be even _more_ certain that Troy's face falls, just a little.  The meaning behind which he is too drunk to parse out but he’s sure it is indeed meaningful.  Drunk or not, though, he knows Annie's every expression and she's watching Troy with a small, private smile.  He'll ask her about it later.

 

"Want to play?"  It's Abed asking and Jeff is about to respond when Annie cuts him off.

 

"I've been wanting to play for the last twenty minutes!"

 

"Troy and I were playing."

 

"I _know_ that, Abed.  And I didn't mind waiting.  But it's my turn, not Jeff's!"  Abed stares at her, processing, his mouth opening and closing abruptly twice before he finally speaks.

 

"But you've never played before.  Jeff has."  He amends his statement after a second's pause.  "Jeff is an excellent player, in fact."  Annie growls at Abed and Jeff worries for his safety when it's just the two of them living alone.

 

"Jeff is drunk!" Jeff is a little offended by her accusation but it's actually quite true but he takes it as his cue to jump in anyway.

 

"I'll teach you, okay?"  Annie seems a little mollified at his offer but it's Abed's eyebrows rising to his hairline that has Jeff flushing just a bit.  He meets Abed's eyes and draws a finger across his throat while Annie's back is turned.  Abed, thankfully, is wise enough to understand what that means.

 

"Why don't you guys play pairs?"  Abed's question draws the attention of everyone in the group and Jeff shrugs.  It's a pretty common ploy to 'teach' someone to play pool and feel them up instead so he doesn't really care who they play against because, as far as he's concerned, he's already won.  Britta looks like she's going to bow out so he tries to kick her discretely.  She lets out an 'ow' instead of a proper response while Troy agrees so, naturally, it's settled before she has time to object. 

 

It’s all the same to Jeff, really.  If this all goes his way tonight, he’ll get to ‘teach’ Annie his favourite game.  By tomorrow night, they’ll either fight or fuck, but come hell or high water, he’ll have made his move. 


	33. Tactical Decision-Making in Seductive Situations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-third battle: "surrender"

Every so often, she'd catch his eye and he'd smile and she'd smile back because what else was a girl to do when Jeff Winger smiled at you?  And each time, when she finally looked away, she'd have to remind herself that surrender was not an option.  Resist at all costs!  Because if she gave in to Jeff Winger again, who knew the havoc he could wreak?  No, Annie, assured herself determinedly, she had set a course for getting over him and that was just what she would do.

 

"Annie?"  She was startled out of her reverie by Jeff standing over her, blocking out the bright summer sunshine.  Unable to help herself, a hand flew to her chest and she blew out a surprised breath.  "I didn't mean to startle you."  She couldn’t read his expression, his eyes veiled by dark designer sunglasses.

 

"Jeff, hey, hi!  No, it's okay, I was just...  Thinking."  He nodded, removing his shades to reveal the amusement dancing in his eyes.

 

"I could tell.  I called your name three times."  His eyes slid to the chair across from her and she sighed ruefully to herself before gesturing a welcome.  "Penny for your thoughts, milady?"  As he inspected the chair for dirt, she took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

 

"A lot of stuff has changed recently and I was...  Thinking about all the stuff we've been through together over the last four years."  He nodded along to her explanation.  "Lessons learned, you know?"

 

"Yeah?  And what'd you learn, Annie?"  She watched him carefully, a sly smile spreading across her face as she considered her answer.

 

"If it walks like a lawyer, talks like a lawyer, practices law like a lawyer...  It still might not be a lawyer."  His mouth dropped open but she was delighted to see that he was fighting a smile.

 

"That's a low blow, Annie.  And here I thought unexpectedly seeing a pretty girl on a beautiful day was a good omen..."  Her heart stuttered at his words and a faint blush rose despite her struggles against it.  She was in the midst of hoping she could pass it off as a flush from laughing at him when a server suddenly appeared at her elbow.

 

"Sir, ma'am.  Would you like to order anything else?"

 

"An espresso, please.  Annie?"

 

"Another iced americano, please."  As the server scribbled their order on her pad, Jeff eyed her conspiratorially.

 

"Want to be really bad?"  She raised an eyebrow in question.  "Share the deep dish fudge brownie?  A la mode?"  He added the last part in a seductive whisper that sounded comical given the context that Annie rolled her eyes and buried her face in her hands to stifle her grin.  Seconds later, her fingers parted and she nodded anyway.  He cheered silently and gave their order to the server.  "Was that so hard?"

 

"What?  Giving in to temptation?"  He smirked and nodded.  "That part is never hard, Jeff.  It's the buyer's remorse that sucks."

 

"Sorry, Annie, all I heard was 'temptation' and 'hard' and 'sucks' - if I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me."  She stared at him, eyes wide.  He was flirting with her.  And not subtlety either.  Well, never let it be said that Annie Edison couldn't give as good as she got.

 

"If I was trying to seduce you, Jeff," She paused, tongue snaking out to wet her lip carefully, casually.  "You would know."  She kept her face relaxed but as she took in his expression, a mixture of lust and laughter, she decided that maybe sticking to her pre-planned path wasn’t in her best interests.  After all, surrender was an entirely valid choice too.


	34. Privileges & Pratfalls of Public Employees 101

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-fourth battle: "It's summer break, and that means vacation time! Unfortunately, something goes wrong along the way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for S5 - I'd be amazed if you had managed to avoid this bit of news though.

"Hey, you got a minute?"

 

Jeff looked up to see Grant, his immediate supervisor, standing in his doorway.  He looked harried and busy so Jeff merely nodded in response.

 

"I hate to do this, Jeff, but it's happening across the office - we just got word that a major political corruption scandal is about to break.  We can't afford to have any of our prosecutors, even our most junior ADAs, off right now.  I promise you'll be appropriately compensated but we're going to have to revoke your vacation time."  He was thoroughly sincere but not as apologetic as he might have been.  This was a potentially career-altering once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.  Jeff was unhappy, of course, but there was a tiny, buried nugget of elation.  The coming months meant cleaning house, even in the state's attorney's office and that meant a possibility of promotion.  If Peter Florrick could do it, there was every possibility that Jeff, who had no aspirations to holding public office, could leverage this into a successful promotion, at least.

 

"I get it.  I'll...  Change my plans.  Thanks for letting me know, Grant."  He caught the man's raised eyebrow and smiled.  "Seriously.  Thanks."  He smiled back, nodded once, and left as Jeff sat, already formulating a plan to break the news to his former study group.

 

\----

 

"I can't go."  Amidst the cries of 'what!' and 'that isn't nice at all!', Jeff stood, wincing apologetically as the words fell from his lips.  "I know, it sucks, and I'm sorry but my boss essentially said everyone has to stay around the office and work like dogs."  He took a deep breath before he dropped the important piece that would, hopefully, get him off the hook.  "This means a lot for my career.  I can't pass this up."  The jeers quickly turned into sighs of resigned exasperation.

 

"You're really going to stay here all alone?"  Britta's disappointed question broke him out of his thoughts and he sighed.

 

"I don't want to.  I want to go see Troy just as much as anyone."  He glanced at Abed.  "Well, as much as most people.  But I really can't miss this.  And Troy will be back for Christmas."  Britta waved away his explanation.

 

"I know, I know, it's just...  Sad.  Nobody will be around to keep you company."  Jeff was about to interject that he likely wouldn't have time when Annie cleared her throat and attention suddenly shifted her way.

 

"About that."  She took in everyone's curious faces and grimaced.  "I'll be around to keep Jeff company because I can't make it either."  She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the anger and vitriol but none came.  Annie opened her eyes to find everyone staring at her, awaiting further explanation.  "My bubbe is really sick and they don't expect her to last that much longer.”  Annie took a deep shuddering breath.  “I'm working reduced hours at the clinic as it is and I can't really afford to take time off anyway so...  A staycation just make sense right now.  I'm sorry!"  Her plaintive cry seemed to rouse something in Shirley because she rushed forward and hugged Annie, murmuring comfortingly into her hair.

 

"Don't you worry, pumpkin, we understand."  Releasing Annie only enough to see Jeff, she glared at him.  "I know you'll be busy and all, but you best take care of Annie, you understand?"  Jeff nodded, well on his way to revising his statement about not having time already.  "Good."  Nodding decisively, she marched to the door.  "We leave in a week, everyone else,” she turned to eye Britta and Abed fiercely, “Better be ready!"


	35. Inside the Hospitality Industry for the Non-Insider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-fourth battle: "It's summer break, and that means vacation time! Unfortunately, something goes wrong along the way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for S4 as this features the return of a S4-only character/plot.

"How many times do I need to tell you?  I booked two rooms, adjoining.  You have us in a single suite."  The hotel attendant smiled apologetically at Jeff's words.

 

"I know, Mr. Winger, but your reservation says it's for a single deluxe suite.  I'll find the manager and you can discuss it with him, okay?"  Jeff nodded tiredly and attempted to relax his tense shoulders as the clerk walked quickly away.  He returned barely a moment later, a larger man trailing in his wake and Jeff squinted as he tried to place his face.

 

"Mr. _Winger_ ," The man smirked and, if Jeff was right, winked as he said his name.  "I understand you booked two adjoining rooms and ended up with a single deluxe suite?"  Jeff nodded.  "Mmm, I'm sorry but according to the system, your reservation is for the deluxe suite - I would be happy to upgrade you to the adjoining rooms but there are none available."  He looked down at the screen in front of him again.  "In fact, there aren't even any single rooms available - we're at capacity - a highschool reunion, a business conference and a fan convention." 

 

And that was all it took for it to finally click for Jeff.  The man in front of him had worked at the hotel that hosted the Inspector Spacetime convention that the study group had attended a year ago!  Andy or something.  Jeff groaned which prompted the manager, Randy, Jeff noted according to his nametag, to speak again. 

 

"Sir," He looked around and, realizing the attendant had moved out of earshot, suddenly his whole demeanour changed.  "I know that you and Mrs. Winger were having some...  Problems last time I saw you.  I think having separate rooms was part of the issue and I know it's not my place to interfere but I didn't realize we'd be so packed this weekend.  I'll comp room service and some spa services as an apology.  Maybe you could take this time to really work on your marriage?"  Jeff took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, willing his blood pressure to drop as he stared blankly at the over-invested hotel manager.

 

"Sure, okay.  Whatever."  He finished checking in then stalked over to Annie who was sitting on the couch in the lobby half-asleep.  "C'mon, Sleeping Beauty, time to wake up."  He nudged her with his knee, one arm clutching his bag and the other scratching at his neck, heart stuttering as she murmured his name.  Oh no, nothing else could possibly go wrong this weekend as he shared a room and a bed with Annie.  Nothing at all.  Jeff pulled at his collar with his free hand and wondered silently if that strangely hot sensation was the fires of hell or just his imagination.  He looked down at Annie, once again, and immediately noticed her chest, tanktop stretched tight and sliding lower with each  breath.

 

This weekend was going to be one hell of an affair.

 

"Hmm?"  Her half-awake response had his attention jerking back to the present.

 

"We've only got one room because it turns out, one of those guys from the convention works here now and thought our marriage could be saved by sharing a room."  Annie blinked slowly as she tried to process the explanation.  Unsuccessfully, as it turned out.

 

"What?"

 

"Let's go, I'll explain in the room."

 

\----

 

"So, we have to share a room for the weekend?"  He nodded.  "Because there aren't any others available and Britta and Troy are now in one room and Abed is refusing to share or open the door to his room to anyone."  He nodded again.  "Okay."

 

"You're taking this pretty calmly."  She shrugged at his words.

 

"Why freak out?  I'm tired, we're both adults and last time I shared a hotel bed, I was stuck with Britta, and she kicked me all night."  She gave him a wan smile.  "Abed says you sleep like a rock."  Jeff’s brow furrowed, unconvinced.

 

“What about pretending to be married?”  He winced as the words came out, hoping against hope that he hadn’t just torpedoed any good will between them.  He was surprised, instead, to see a tired smile accompany the gentle eye roll.

 

“I don’t think we have much of a choice in that regard this time, Jeff.  Besides,” She looked around the room, suddenly shifty-eyed and voice high-pitched with nervous guilt, “I didn’t bring any of my stuff to pretend to be married to you.”

 

“You have _stuff_?”  His incredulous question was met with wide, surprised eyes.  She cleared her throat, mistake realized a second too late.

 

“Well, _Jeff_ ,” Her voice was indignant and Jeff was impressed despite himself at her ability to turn his outrage into defensiveness.  “Isn’t that obvious?  If I’m pretending to be married to you, I need fake stubble and…  Loud, showy underwear, don’t I?”

 

“Wait.”  His pause didn’t deter her from picking at the bedspread fitfully and it took less than a minute for him to process what had caught his attention in the first place.  “You said you hadn’t brought your stuff to pretend to be married _to me_.”  She met his eyes, innocent expression and doe eyes in full effect while his mouth dropped open, his ego deeply offended.  “What the hell, Annie!”

 

“What!”  She slapped the bed in exasperation.  “Jeff, you’re upset if I pretend to be married to you, you’re upset if I _don’t_?  What, now I’m not allowed to pretend to be married to _anyone_?”

 

“No, it’s just…  I mean.  C’mon.  I mean, I’m…  Readily available this weekend.”  He pouted.  “So who was it?”  She sighed, lips pursed.  “If we have to pretend to be married this weekend anyway, shouldn’t I get to know who you were planning to cheat on me with?”  She rolled her eyes but Jeff saw it the second she gave in.

 

“Fine.  I was going to pretend to be married to…”  She bit her lip, guilt and fear written clearly across her face, before whispering the name, “Rich.”

 

The silence was deafening.

 

“There is no way in hell you are leaving me for Rich, that goddamn creepy doctor.  We are going to have the best fucking marriage ever.  And the best fucking sex.  And the best fucking kids.  In the best fucking house with the nicest fucking car.  You understand me, Annie? ”  He punctuated each declaration with a stab of his finger and ended with a pointed glare until she nodded.

 

Technically, they only crossed off one of Jeff’s goals that weekend but given how much time they had devoted to meeting it, Jeff was willing to delay on, well, everything in favour of more sex.  Annie, as it happened, heartily agreed. 


	36. Brief Forays Into Gothic Romance 102

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-fifth battle: "Show me VampireJeff and LycanAnnie and their endless battles through the centuries."

He says they can't be together but that just makes the feelings stronger.  Maybe it's a simple case of absence makes the heart grow fonder.  _Maybe._   But she has her doubts.  Anita has been living comfortably in Argentina for a little while now and he just happens into her town?  No, she knows better than that.  He tells her he doesn't want to be with her, tells her they don't fit, but he always finds her.  She's old enough now to have literally seen the world and while he might have convinced her he didn't care for her once upon a time, that was eons ago.  Back when he was still scared of her and knew how to channel his fear into a near-perfect facsimile of hatred.  She sighs loudly because she wants him to know what's coming, her exasperation and the decades upon decades of this silly song and dance weighing on her.

 

"Why are you here?"  The footsteps, imperceptible to the human ear, fall still before she finally feels him glide up behind her.

 

"Anna..."  Her name is a whisper on his tongue and she leans back into him, knowing this is his last chance.

 

"It's Anita, darling."  She can feel the way his lungs contract and expand beneath his shirt and savours the sensation.  "And you're avoiding my question."  She tilts her head into his neck, lips pursed at his pulse which doesn't beat or jump or move at all under a careful swipe of her tongue.

 

"I know.  Because I don't have an answer."  He moves away but only a little, so he can look down at her, his body still supporting hers.  "At least, not a good one."  She watches as his face stays stoic but sees the frustration in his eyes.  She rolls her own in response because how can this idiot be hundreds of years older than her and still have no more maturity than the little ones she teaches?

 

"Why don't I get to judge your answers instead of you?  It is my question, after all."  His lips quirk into a smile and he nods.  "Come, my home is just there.  If this is like any of our past encounters, mi amor, we'll need privacy."  They share a brief smile and he takes her hand as she leads them to her little cottage, visible in the distance.

 

"I want to stay with you but I...  I'm a monster."  The words are out just before they reach her door and her heart stutters in her chest.  She pulls him into her home then rounds on him in her little kitchen.

 

"Geoffrey, you exhaust me!"  He seems taken aback by her anger but she's no little girl, young and naive, as she might have been when she first met him.  "Have I not proven that I can handle you, can handle monsters?  Would these humans around us not call me the same?"  She gestures wildly, irritation with his idiotic protests bubbling over.  "You always find me and you always leave me!  But no more.  You decide now.  If we are to do this, and you need to leave, then you tell me!  I'm not a child that needs their hand held but I'm no moony-eyed girl that you might throw away when you decide to run free.  If nothing else can be said for us, we are both adults.  You will treat me with respect."  He stares at her utterly flabbergasted and for once, Anna feels righteous vindication roll through her.

 

He makes his choice.

 

Later, as they lie languorously in bed and Geoffrey is mostly asleep, she breathes a sigh of relief that his decision includes a future with her.


	37. Mating Rituals of the Wild in the Wild

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-fifth battle: "Show me VampireJeff and LycanAnnie and their endless battles through the centuries."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a wee bit of smut in here so beware, there's a bit of this chapter that is Mature, maybe even Explicit.

It's 1995 and she's hanging out in the wilds of northern Canada because she's tired of the school teacher persona she's carried for nearly a century and this seems as peaceful a place as she's likely to find.  In her head, she plots out a journey that involves migrating through the Northwest Territories, perhaps living in an isolated Inuit village for a little while, before moving onto Alaska.  She lets her mind get carried away by her plans and the soothing sound of a rushing stream nearby when a branch cracking whips her back to full consciousness.  She doesn't hesitate for a second, hands lengthening into clawed paws, as she turns and swipes at her unseen shadow.

 

She jerks back in surprise as she sees her sometimes-lover sometimes-prey standing there.

 

"I think you missed me."  She stares, unsure as to what he's referring, wondering if he's here to attack or to play house for a while.  If she's honest with herself, she doesn't know which she'd prefer right now.  "Relax, Annie, I'm not here to fight."  He holds up his hands in surrender and she smiles, just a little, at his petname for her.  _Annie._   As if she's ever been in need or deserving of such an immature nickname.

 

"How did you find me, Jeff?"  He, however, rolls his eyes at the nickname she uses for him.  He insists it's too common and lacking in refinement but she likes it anyway.  She thinks Annie and Jeff might make it work even if the two of them can't.

 

"You aren't the only one with a good nose, Annie.  Besides, beauty likes yours stands out, especially up here."  She narrows her eyes in confusion and he elaborates with a smile.  "I asked a neighbour."  She continues to watch him as she decides that she's glad he's not here to fight.  He's been one of the few constants in her life for the last few hundreds of years and yes, they got off to a bloody start but she's fairly certain that what they have is as close to love as it exists in their world comprised of secrecy and life everlasting.  "You seem to have forgotten your manners, Annie.  You're supposed to do the polite thing and invite me in for a drink."

 

"You ambush me in the woods and want me to take you back to my home and let you feed from me?"

 

"Well, that would be ideal but I suppose you could chase a moose down for me or something instead."  She growls at him, low and guttural, and he just breathes deeply, eyes closing in bliss.  "Hmm, is that lust I smell?"  She smacks him across the chest in irritation and stomps past him, the search for peace abandoned now that her favourite pest who is actually _very_ skilled with his mouth has decided to grace her with his presence.  She's about five metres away when she turns to glare at his tall, unmoving frame over her shoulder.

 

"If I'm at my door before you are, I'm leaving you out in the cold tonight."  She knows he understands that she's making a literal threat.  When she arrives at her house five minutes later, he's lounging against her door like he owns the place.  She unlocks it and pulls him inside, muttering an invitation under her breath.  Seconds later, he uses her loose grip on his wrist to spin her into his arms and he's attacking her mouth with his own.  She moans against him and he slams into a sturdy wooden wall in the span of a heartbeat, hoisting her up so boot-clad her feet dangle a foot off the ground.

 

It's rough and it's fierce and it's all the reasons she loves him and all the reasons she hates him.  She knows he feels the same way.  In their quieter moments, they talk because they've been doing this too long to avoid that conversation and because they're both too old to bother with lies when they don't feel like it.  As he undoes her jeans, grumbling about women not being allowed to wear pants 150 years ago, she works on his sweater and snipes at him about looking like he's straight out of an Eddie Bauer catalogue.  It's familiar and calming despite their aggressive nips and rough swipes.

 

It only takes a few seconds before he’s standing shirtless, his jeans half undone, while she’s still mostly clothed.  His hand has successfully wound its way inside her pants, fingers already sliding past the damp cotton of her panties, to stroke her pussy and pinch none-too-gently at her clit.  It’s fairly obvious that he wants more room to manoeuvre and even as a moan emerges, Annie finds it in her to pant out instructions that she fully expects to be followed.

 

Jeff proves he listens by hustling her down the hallway and into her bedroom, fingers still fucking her as mercilessly as possible with his limited mobility, before dumping her on the bed.  He pulls his hand free without any consideration for the climax that was slowly building but he makes up for it with the speed in which he gets her naked.  There’s a pretty distinct pause as he takes in her nude body, eyes lingering on the pussy obscured by her pubic hair.

 

“For the record, you don’t get fleas, right?”  He leans in to kiss her as he asks the question and Annie knows that he’s not surprised, more likely turned on, when he feels her claws draw blood against his back.  His mouth moves lower, fangs grazing her shoulder, and she shudders, a whimper rising as he dips toward her breast.

 

It ends quickly after that, all guttural grunts and obscene slurping as Jeff finally gets that drink he requested.  Annie comes with a suspiciously lupine whine while Jeff takes his time, a soft hiss emerging against her neck as he finishes.  They lay there, silent and spent, before Annie works up the energy to push him off of her.  He falls gracelessly to the bed as she rises to clean up.  When she returns, a hot cup of coffee cradled carefully in her hands, she leans against the door jamb and stares at him.  He’s lying in her bed, hair mussed, looking like a J. Crew model and she forces herself to ask the question that’s gnawing at her insides.  Or some form of it anyway.

 

“Do you want a cup of coffee?”  She’ll work up to it, she decides, as she moves closer, settling on to the bed and pulling her legs up underneath her.  His head turns toward her and his eyes open lazily, a smirk gracing his face.

 

“You’re not going to play the good host and make a cup for me?”

 

“If you want to play house, Jeff, you get your own coffee.”  He pulls himself up into a sitting position, sheet falling to his waist, before he reaches out for her cup.

 

“Or I can share yours.”  She lets him take it and bites her lip as she contemplates what that means.  She watches him as he takes a sip and frowns when he sets it down on the bedside table closest to him.  She’s distracted from the coffee a moment later when he reaches over to kiss her.  He pulls back, his hands still gripping her face gently, forehead to forehead.  “I was wondering if I could stay a while.”

 

“Okay.”  The word slips out without thought but Annie can’t bring herself to regret it.  They’ve been lovers more often than they’ve been enemies and she came out here looking for peace or a reasonable facsimile.  As he kisses her again, Annie ‘s pretty sure she’s found what she was looking for.


	38. Basic Lessons in Human Kindness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-seventh battle: "I have a confession to make to you. You like me. In fact, you're crazy about me."

"I have a confession to make."  He stares meaningfully, making eye contact, willing his words to get through.  "You like me."  He's doing more than paying lip service to the old adage of 'fake it 'til you make it' right now because he's mostly banking on a wing and a prayer at this point.  "In fact, you're crazy about me."  That part, he knows, is an out and out lie but he feels obligated to really sell it. 

 

There is, as expected, no response.

 

He closes his eyes for just a second, calling all of his impressive facial control to the fore, and heaves a deep sigh before he opens his eyes, smoothes his face into a rakish grin full of his usual charm, and straightens his collar.  Whether he wants to or not, he's ready to face the frothing masses.  Of course, the course of true love (also known as his ingrained narcissism) never did run smooth because when he opens the door to the bathroom, an equally stunned Annie startles him.

 

"It's not what you think!"  He would dearly love to smack himself in the face right now because that is the worst possible thing he could blurt out.  "Depending on what you think it is."  He tries to shrug casually but he knows with every fibre of his wool-cashmere blend that he looks more awkward than Britta doing her therapy teapot dance, demonstrated to a very unwilling audience as of last week. 

 

"What...  I."  Annie's words seem to have deserted her and she moves a step closer until he's boxed into the bathroom with her.  The door shuts with a quiet click behind her and she watches him, silent and thoughtful before she starts again.  "It sounded like you were...  Maybe, half-heartedly, trying to do a daily affirmation."  He can't help the surprise that flickers on his face.

 

"Okay, so it's exactly what you thought it was."  He purses his lips and nods slowly, unsure of what to do next while she smiles ruefully at him.

 

"You aren't the only one who does them."  He raises an eyebrow in question and Annie hesitates, studying him first before she answers.  He would've thought that the invitation to share was rare enough that she'd jump at the chance.  "When I was in rehab, the counsellors and psychologists...  They all recommended that we spend a few minutes each day just looking in the mirror and telling ourselves positive things." 

 

A fleeting look of sorrow steals across her face before she hides it so quickly and neatly that Jeff doubts his own eyes.  She looks up at him, smile tremulous and eyes bright with the slightest sheen of tears, as she continues.  "It worked, sometimes."

 

"My psychiatrist says that if I tell myself that I like myself, I might start to believe it.  Apparently, vanity isn't the same thing."  His words and tone are as jocular as possible but Annie's smart enough to know better.

 

"Well..."  She moves closer, hands clutching gently at the fabric of his shirt where his jacket hangs open, and offers him the kindest smile he can imagine.  "If you ever need to hear those words from someone besides yourself, just let me know."  He wants more than that and they both know it but it'll do for now.  Instead, they stay there and in the moment, it’s enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I skipped posting my entry for battle #26 because I'm still working on making that into a full-length fic. I apologize but I promise I'll try getting it up before the year ends!


	39. Heartfelt Confessions for the Seasoned Pro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for my twenty-seventh battle: "I have a confession to make to you. You like me. In fact, you're crazy about me."

She wore a slinky red dress and somewhere, in the back of his mind, he felt a glimmer of recognition which he ignored because really, there were much more important things to focus on.  _Good god, that rack..._   He forced his libido down and breathed deeply instead.  When he finally managed to shake off his lower base urges, he stuck a hand in his pocket and strolled over to her.  He'd been aiming for casual but he knew he was far too purposeful and made a far too clear bee-line for it to come across that way.  He persevered anyway.

 

"Annie."  She reached up, three inch heels still requiring her to stretch to meet him, and straightened his collar before her fingers moved nimbly to flutter at his lapel.  He allowed it without fuss and hoped his secret joy wasn't plastered all over his face by way of a dopey grin.

 

"Jeff."  She continued toying with the fabric at his neck, her hand now occupied with his button.  He swallowed roughly, adam’s apple bobbing, as her finger brushed against his clavicle.

 

"I have a confession to make to you."  She raised an eyebrow but didn't otherwise have much of a reaction.  He felt a damp thumb swipe at his stubbled cheek.  He forged on despite the indignity.  "You like me."  He paused, wondering if she'd have a response.

 

"What ever gave you _that_ idea?"  It was murmured under her breath, sarcastic as could be, and he figured it was mostly rhetorical.

 

"In fact, you're crazy about me."  At that, she stopped dead, widening her eye dramatically and hands clenching into fists around his loose collar.  She was the very picture of surprise and wonder.

 

"You mean Crazy Annie went crazy for you?"  Despite his best efforts, he couldn't help it.  He cracked, a smirk sliding across his face.

 

"She looked an awful lot like Crazy Annie but it's hard for me to tell all of the Annies apart.  Based on whether they like me or not anyway."  He grinned down at her, pleased as punch.  "Since the answer is always yes."  That line garnered him an eye roll but he only smiled wider.

 

"Oh yeah?  And what're you going to do about it?  If, and I'm not admitting anything!  If I was 'crazy' about you?"  Her words were deceptively casual but he could tell she wasn't as blasé as she seemed given how she'd stilled against him, her hands no longer fidgeting or clenched but instead unconsciously smoothing his shirt repetitively.

 

"Oh, I think I'd take the opportunity to admit that I'm not as brave as you because I waited for you to say it first even though I think we both know I've felt the same way for far longer."  She hmmed quietly in consideration.  "I have another confession to make."  That, however, caught her by surprise.

 

"What's that?"

 

"I like you like this," He swept a hand up and down her side, indicating the way her body still leaned in toward his.  "Because I have the most fantastic view."  She glanced down, confused, only to be greeted by her chest, showcased in her low-cut red dress and whacked at his chest.

 

"Can you just ask me to dance already?"  He nodded, a hand coming up to rub briefly at the back of his neck.

 

"Would you care to dance with me, milady?"

 

"I would love to, milord."  Chris DeBurgh's Lady In Red began playing and Jeff sent up a quick thanks that Troy and Abed had timed it so well.  "I don't suppose this is a coincidence?"

 

"What else would it be?"  She huffed out half a laugh, arms curling around his neck.

 

"Just in case you were wondering, I do like you.  Some might even say that I'm crazy about you."

 

"Really?  You don't say."  His nonchalant tone earned him another eye roll.

 

"Shut up and kiss me."

 

For once, Jeff was more than happy to oblige.


End file.
